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Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab isolates himself after recently being in “close contact” with someone who tested positive for coronavirus.
The cabinet minister will have to isolate himself for a period of 14 days, in accordance with government and NHS rules.
Lord Raab will continue to work remotely, a spokesperson said, for a time when the outcome of the United States Presidential Election it is still uncertain.
Early Thursday, the Foreign Secretary had asked new presidential elections to be held in Belarus following the publication of an independent report on the contested August vote.
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Confirming Raab’s self-isolation on Thursday night, a spokesperson said: “The foreign secretary was informed today that a person with whom he has been in close recent contact has tested positive for coronavirus.”
“In accordance with government regulations and NHS track and trace rules, the Foreign Secretary has taken immediate steps to isolate himself for the required period.
“It will continue to work remotely during this time.”
Raab, who also holds the title of first secretary of state, replaced Boris Johnson earlier this year when the prime minister was in intensive care with COVID-19.
Around the same time as Johnson’s disease, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also tested positive for coronavirus, as did Sir Mark Sedwill, the then cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, although Sir Mark’s disease was only revealed a few weeks later.
Downing Street emphasized this week that Business Secretary Alok Sharma, like all ministers, was following COVID guidelines.
It was recently learned that Sharma traveled to South Korea on government business just days after coming into contact with staff who later tested positive for COVID-19.
But a spokesperson for the business secretary said Sharma “had no close contact with the individual prior to his departure and that NHS Test and Trace did not tell him to isolate himself.”
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Sharma attended Tuesday’s cabinet meeting at the Foreign Ministry in person, where the ministers were “socially distant” at all times, Number 10 said.
Earlier this week, Raab said the UK government “would have to be patient and wait and see who wins the American election.”
He added that it was “important that the process have sufficient time to reach a conclusion” and that the government has “full confidence in the checks and balances of the US system to produce a result.”
