Britain’s Prince Charles, who has recovered after testing positive for coronavirus, praised the selfless devotion of healthcare workers on Wednesday and said it was a strange and distressing time for the nation.

Heir-to-the-throne Charles, 71, came out of self-isolation on Monday after suffering what he said were “luckily … relatively mild symptoms” and his office said he was now in good health.

Britain is in a state of virtual lockdown, with the public told they must stay at home other than for essential trips, such as to buy food.

In a video address, the prince said although he had recovered, he was still in a state of social distance and general isolation. His wife Camilla, 72, who had tested negative, is remaining in self-isolation until the end of the week in case she develops symptoms.

“As we are all learning, this is a strange, frustrating and often distressing experience when the presence of family and friends is no longer possible and the normal structures of life are suddenly removed,” he said.

The number of coronavirus deaths in Britain rose by 27% to 1,789 people, official figures on Tuesday showed, with one of the victims a 13-year-old boy with no apparent underlying health conditions.

“At such an unprecedented and anxious time in all our lives, my wife and I are thinking particularly of all those who have lost their loved ones in such very difficult and abnormal circumstances, and of those having to endure sickness, isolation and loneliness,” Charles said from his home in Scotland.

Reuters