Coronavirus: Matt Hancock 'on mend' after 'mild' symptoms Published duration 31 March Related Topics Coronavirus pandemic

image copyright Reuters image caption Health Secretary Matt Hancock said his coronavirus symptoms were mild

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was "on the mend" after contracting coronavirus.

He thanked the public for following government guidelines and said the "draconian measures" had been imposed with "the greatest reluctance".

"People have risen to the challenge and responded positively and I'm very grateful," the West Suffolk MP said.

Mr Hancock described his symptoms as mild and said he was continuing to work from home while self-isolating.

He announced on Friday he had tested positive for Covid-19, shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed he had the virus.

"That was a few days ago now, so I'm on the mend," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"It's hard to extrapolate from one person, but the good news for me is I was lucky and it wasn't too bad."

He said the "vast majority" of people had mild symptoms, "but unfortunately, as we know, for some people it's much more serious".

Mr Hancock also reiterated that the UK was "ramping up" its testing capacity and was buying "many millions" of tests to diagnose the infection.

He said the thousands of British people being repatriated by the government would be briefed on the measures they should take to control the spread of the virus.

"If they don't have symptoms they will be in the same category as everybody else," he said.

"They will be given the advice and asked how they are on the way back to check whether they have symptoms."