New Zealand PM Tests Positive for Covid Ahead of Election Push
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins tested positive for Covid-19, putting him in isolation two weeks ahead of the country’s general election.
Most Read from Bloomberg
Airbnb Is Fundamentally Broken, Its CEO Says. He Plans to Fix It.
Severe Crash Is Coming for US Office Properties, Investors Say
JPMorgan’s Dimon Predicts 3.5-Day Work Week for Next Generation Thanks to AI
“Bugger! After a rough night I woke up this morning feeling pretty unwell and just got this test result,” Hipkins posted on his official Facebook page Sunday. “I’m in close contact with New Zealanders on the campaign trail and I don’t want to pass it on to anyone, so I’ll be following the guidance and isolating for a few days or until I get a negative test.”
Hipkins has cold and flu symptoms, according to a statement from his office, and will be isolating for five days or until he tests negative. He will continue with engagements he can undertake via Zoom, it said.
There are two weeks to go until the Oct. 14 vote, with Hipkins running out of time to convince voters that his Labour party deserves a third term.
Read more: Dancing Libertarian Poised for Big Role in New Zealand Politics
Hipkins’ Facebook post thanked “volunteers and supporters who I know will keep our campaign going in my absence.”
“There’s a lot at stake this election, and I’ll be working doubly hard when I can get back out there to make sure Labour is re-elected,” he wrote.
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
With Banks Offering 5% Returns, Financial Advisers Fight Irrelevance
Got Plastic With a No. 2 Recycling Symbol? Beware a Toxic Problem
Feeding the World Once Brought the US Untold Influence—No More
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.