Vaccinated UK health minister tests positive for COVID-19, has mild symptoms

LONDON — Britain’s health minister says he has tested positive for the coronavirus and is experiencing mild symptoms.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid says he has tested positive with a rapid test and is self-isolating as he awaits the results of a more accurate PCR test.

Javid said Saturday, “I’m grateful that I’ve had two jabs of the vaccine and so far my symptoms are very mild.”

Cases of the virus are surging in the UK, driven by the highly infectious Delta variant, despite a high level of vaccination.

Javid took over last month from Matt Hancock, who resigned after breaching social distancing rules. Hancock was ill with COVID-19 early in the pandemic last year.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent several days in intensive care with the virus in April 2020.