OTTAWA -- Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says he has tested negative for COVID-19.
"My #COVID19 test results came back negative,” Champagne tweeted early Friday morning. “Thanks to all those who work tirelessly to keep us safe. My priority continues to be to help Canadians abroad.”
Champagne has been in self-isolation after he said he was tested "out of an abundance of caution as I began experiencing new flu-like symptom[s] less than 14 days after returning from abroad."
Champagne had been in Europe, specifically Latvia, Ukraine and Poland. His office told CTVNews.ca that he began to feel unwell earlier this week.
In a series of tweets Champagne said he "will continue to work around the clock to support Canadians facing difficulties abroad and to coordinate the international response to this crisis."
Champagne took the opportunity to encourage others to practice social distancing and follow additional public health precautions against the virus.
He is the third federal cabinet minister to report being tested, two of his colleagues' tests have come back negative.
Natural Resource Minister Seamus O’Regan and Minister of Small Business and Export Production Mary Ng both tested negative for COVID-19 last week.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now a week into his own self-isolation after his wife Sophie tested positive after returning from a trip to the U.K. So far, Trudeau said he is symptom-free.
