Foreign affairs minister in self-isolation after being tested for COVID-19
François-Philippe Champagne returned from trip to Europe in early March
Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne says he has been tested for COVID-19 after experiencing flu-like symptoms upon returning from an international trip two weeks ago.
Champagne said in a tweet that he is currently at home awaiting the results of his diagnostic test. He said he'll continue to work from home to co-ordinate Canada's international response to the pandemic.
"We must remember to practice social distancing & take all necessary precautions to protect each other in the face of this virus," Champagne wrote.
The minister returned from a trip to Poland, Latvia and Ukraine on March 6.
A spokesperson for Champagne would not say whether public health officials were tracing people with whom Champagne came into contact since his return.
"He is awaiting the results of his test. He will follow the advice of experts," Adam Austen wrote in an email.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also has been working from self-isolation since last Thursday, after his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, returned from a trip to the U.K. reporting symptoms. She later tested positive for COVID-19.
Trudeau's office has said he is in good health and hasn't experienced any symptoms since he began self-isolating.
