London, March 27 (RHC)-- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he has tested positive for coronavirus and will be self-isolating for seven days.  The announcement came from London on Friday morning.

Boris Johnson is still able to work in an office and study at No. 11 Downing Street, his spokesman has said, shortly after the British leader announced he had contracted coronavirus and had mild symptoms.  

A spokesperson said: "There was an 9:30 meeting, which we call the COVID-19 meeting ... that went ahead.  The prime minister played his role entirely via video conferencing."  And he added: "That's how it will continue while the prime minister is self-isolating.  He will do the same things, but that will be done exclusively by teleconferencing on his part."

On a conference call with journalists, Johnson's spokesman said the prime minister was receiving meals left outside his door for him but would no longer appear in person at a daily news conference.

A Downing Street spokesman said Johnson, who is 55 years-old, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday -- one day after he attended the prime minister's weekly meeting in the chamber of the House of Commons.

In early February, as the UK took a different approach to much of the rest of Europe in its handling of the crisis, Johnson said he was continuing to shake hands with people -- even in a hospital in which he said there were patients being treated for coronavirus infections.

Three weeks later, the country was placed in a state of near-lockdown, with movement restricted and all but "essential workers" advised not to leave their homes.