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Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg Tested For COVID-19 After Coughing Fit

He coughed repeatedly during a speech in parliament on Tuesday.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivers a ministerial statement on the Australian economy in the House of Representatives at Parliament House on May 12, 2020 in Canberra, Australia.
Sam Mooy via Getty Images
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivers a ministerial statement on the Australian economy in the House of Representatives at Parliament House on May 12, 2020 in Canberra, Australia.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has tested negative for COVID-19.

“Yesterday I was tested for COVID-19 out of an abundance of caution on the advice of the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. This morning I received the result of the test which was negative,” he tweeted.

The treasurer had been in isolation awaiting the result after he coughed repeatedly during a speech in parliament on Tuesday.

Frydenberg said he had a dry mouth and a cough when delivering a statement on impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy and budget.

In a statement, Frydenberg said he consulted with the deputy chief medical officer who “advised me that out of an abundance of caution it was prudent I be tested for COVID-19”.

When speaking in parliament on Tuesday, the treasurer spoke about Australia’s unemployment off the back of the pandemic.

“It will take some time before unemployment comes back to the pre-coronavirus levels,” he said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivers a ministerial statement on the Australian economy in the House of Representatives at Parliament House on May 12, 2020 in Canberra, Australia.
Sam Mooy via Getty Images
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivers a ministerial statement on the Australian economy in the House of Representatives at Parliament House on May 12, 2020 in Canberra, Australia.

“But what I do know is that we are doing everything we can to keep people in a job and businesses in business.”

Sharing an overall outlook on the economy, he also said: “In Australia, Treasury is forecasting GDP to fall by over 10 per cent in the June quarter, which would represent our biggest fall on record.

“At $50 billion, this is a loss equivalent to the total quarterly production of South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT.”

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