Pop superstar Sam Smith has claimed that he has contracted the Chinese coronavirus, saying that although he never got tested he displayed the symptoms.

In an interview with Zane Lowe, Smith said that he and his sister self-isolated for three weeks for fear of spreading it to their family.

“I didn’t get tested but I know I have it,” he said. “I’m just going to assume that I did because everything I’ve read completely pointed to that. So yeah, I think I definitely had it.”

The 28-year-old Grammy-winning singer, also said that he felt he had the virus before Britain went into nationwide lockdown, and he has used his time since to work on his new album. “As everyone was kind of really on lockdown, that’s when I got over it, luckily,” Smith said. “I started writing and it’s a whole different vibe. It’s amazing. It’s great.”

Last month, Sam Smith announced that he would be delaying the release of his album and renaming it because of the pandemic.

“I have done a lot of thinking the last few weeks and feel that the title of my album and imminent release doesn’t feel right, so I have come to the decision to continue working on the album and make some important changes and additions,” they said. “I will be renaming my album and pushing back the release date – both of which are to be confirmed at this time.”

Smith, who last year declared himself “non-binary,” recently came under mockery for posting pictures of himself crying outside his £12 million mansion because he could not go outside. However, he insisted on Monday that the photo was intended as a joke.

“It was probably bad timing of me, but I use my social media as if it’s just my friends on it,” he said on Heart Breakfast. “I posted with my humor and stuff, but it just didn’t get picked up very well, but I didn’t mean any malice by it at all.”

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