Anthony Albanese tests positive to Covid during federal election campaign
Anthony Albanese has tested positive to Covid despite a radical plan to protect him from the virus, throwing his federal election campaign into chaos.
Scott Morrison has wished Anthony Albanese well after the Labor leader tested positive for Covid.
The development means Mr Albanese will have to isolate for seven days.
The Prime Minister - who shook hands with the Opposition Leader at a Sky News election debate on Wednesday night - wrote a message to Mr Albanese on Twitter, saying he hopes “he does not experience any serious symptoms”.
The timing of Mr Albanese’s diagnosis is especially concerning, given he — and dozens of media representatives following his campaign — visited an aged care home in Nowra on the NSW South Coast on Thursday morning.
Mr Albanese — who was wearing a face mask — mingled with residents at the Symons House Retirement Village earlier today, along with several of his staffers and a crew of reporters, when he would have been contagious.
On Thursday morning Mr Albanese also visited the Manildra ethanol distillery in Bomaderry, and later visited a cafe in Ryde in the Sydney electorate of Bennelong this afternoon.
Labor is now racing to identify those who have been in close contact with Mr Albanese and will need to test or potentially isolate.
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles and treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers were at the debate in Brisbane on Wednesday night - where Mr Albanese shook hands with the Prime Minister.
Mr Albanese has also been travelling with Labor frontbencher Tony Burke.
At Ryde this afternoon he met with Labor’s candidate for Bennelong Jerome Laxale, as well as cafe staff and members of the public, who posed for selfies near him.
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“Following a routine PCR test this afternoon ahead of interstate travel to Western Australia, I have returned a positive result for Covid this evening,” Mr Albanese said in a statement just after 6.30pm on Thursday.
“I have been testing regularly as part of my election campaign duties.
“I will be isolating at home in Sydney for the next 7 days and will continue to follow health guidelines and advice.
“While at home I will continue my responsibilities as alternative Prime Minister and will be fighting for a better future for all Australians.
“I am grateful to know that I will have access to the world’s best health care if I need it, because of Medicare.
“I am feeling fine so far — and thank everyone for their well wishes.”
I wish Anthony Albanese all the best for his recovery after testing positive to COVID. Everyone’s experience with COVID is different and as Labor’s campaign continues, I hope he does not experience any serious symptoms.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) April 21, 2022
The news comes just days after Mr Albanese was heard joking with voters during a recent photo opportunity about the fact he hadn’t yet contracted the virus, with the Labor leader telling the group his team had described him as a “freak of nature” for avoiding the illness for so long.
The Labor leader contracting Covid during the campaign was a prospect the ALP took extreme steps to avoid — including asking journalists to test every three days as a condition of travelling on the bus.
It also suggests Mr Albanese was likely contagious when he conducted the People’s Forum Debate in Brisbane and spoke to voters.
Several journalists have been sent home over the last week after contracting the virus on the campaign trail.
Earlier on the campaign trail, reporters were barred from accompanying Mr Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon to another aged care facility and a medical clinic in Queensland, after several journalists on the election bus returned positive RAT tests, sparking fears of a Covid cluster.
News of Mr Albanese’s diagnosis also sparked confusion among reporters on his campaign trail, who were initially told that the plan for the days ahead were “TBD”, with the group’s planned trip to Perth now up in the air.
There was also speculation that Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles would now step in during Mr Albanese’s isolation, with Shadow Ministers such as Jim Chalmers expected to play crucial roles in the days ahead.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison tested positive for Covid last month.
“I had tested myself daily since Sunday, including this morning, with all tests returning a negative result,’’ he said at the time.
“I took a further test this evening after developing a fever late today. The test was inconclusive so I took a PCR test tonight which returned a positive result late this evening.”
Mr Morrison isolated at home in Sydney for a week at the time.
Albo’s infectious day in pictures
– Symons House Retirement Village in Nowra
– Manildra Shoalhaven Starches in Bomaderry
– Top Ryde in Bennelong
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