Australian premier contracts COVID-19 for 2nd time in 2022

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time during the ongoing year.

“This afternoon (Australian local time) I had a routine PCR test which has returned a positive result for COVID-19,” Albanese wrote on Twitter, adding he is “isolating.”

The prime minister is remotely working from his home at Kirribilli House in Sydney.

“I encourage anyone who is unwell to test and to take any extra precautions to keep their families and neighbors well,” he added.

Earlier, he had tested positive during this year’s federal election campaign.

He was elected Australia’s 31st prime minister in May.

A national Cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday, where Albanese was expected to meet provincial and regional leaders, has been postponed.

The meeting was expected to discuss the Albanese government’s plans to check rising power prices by intervening in the energy market.