Prince Charles, 71, out of self-isolation and is in good health a week after testing positive for coronavirus
Prince Charles is out of self-isolation and is in "good health" a week after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, royal aides have revealed.
The Prince of Wales, 71, began to feel unwell two weekends ago on March 21 and was found to have a "mild" form of the illness before he flew to Birkhall in Aberdeenshire, Daily Mail reports.
Meanwhile, his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, will stay in self-isolation until the end of the week despite testing negative for the infection and displaying no symptoms.
Ever since Charles' diagnosis, the couple has been staying at Birkhall, their Scottish retreat on the Balmoral Estate.
Charles, whose isolation lasted a week based on NHS guidelines, will continue to hold meetings and go for regular exercise.
"Clarence House has confirmed today that, having consulted with his doctor, the Prince of Wales is now out of self-isolation," a Clarence House spokesman revealed.
Meanwhile, there were fears for the Queen's health after one of her footmen tested positive for coronavirus on March 29. But Buckingham Palace continued to insist that every precaution is being taken and that the 93-year-old monarch remains in good health.
According to the report, the staff member's duties included walking the Queen's corgi-dachshund crosses Candy and Vulcan, as well as bringing her food. This means it's highly possible the pair have come into close proximity. That said, it is unclear when he fell sick.
According to The Sun, the footman is now self-isolating while the Queen remains at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh after arriving on March 19.
Charles, who last met with his mother on March 12 at Buckingham Palace, could have become contagious only the next day, doctors say,
The footman in question had been promoted to a role closer to the Queen just six months ago. "Everyone is terrified, not just for themselves but also for the Queen and the duke," a royal source was quoted as saying.
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Meanwhile, a member of the Scottish Parliament expressed surprise last week that Prince Charles was tested for COVID-19 on the NHS.
Joan McAlpine, SNP MSP for the South of Scotland, wished the heir to the throne a speedy recovery. However, he added that "given his symptoms are said to be mild, like many I wonder how he was tested when many NHS and social care workers cannot get tested." "My nephew, who has serious asthma and a chest infection was recently refused a test," McAlpine revealed.
However, royal sources insisted that both Charles and Camilla had met "local criteria for testing."
People will only generally be tested for coronavirus if they "have a serious illness that requires admission to hospital," according to the NHS Scotland website. But Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said there were "very good reasons" for testing both Charles and his wife. "My understanding is there were very good reasons for that person and his wife to be tested, and obviously I wouldn't be able to disclose anything else that I know because of patient confidentiality," she said.