SpaceX boss Elon Musk says he probably has a “moderate case” of Covid-19 but has been “getting wildly different results from different labs”.
The billionaire entrepreneur, 49, said he had been tested four times for the coronavirus, with two positive and two negative results.
He described his symptoms as those of a minor cold. At the start of the pandemic Mr Musk appeared to play down disease, telling his 40 million Twitter followers in March: “My guess is the panic will cause more harm than the virus.”
Two months later he threatened to move Tesla’s headquarters out of California after the electric car company’s factory was forced to close under lockdown measures.
More than 245,000 people have now died in the US, which has recorded 10.9 million infections since the start of the outrbreak.
On Friday Mr Musk tweeted: “Something extremely bogus is going on. Was tested for covid four times today. Two tests came back negative, two came back positive. Same machine, same test, same nurse."
He said he still waiting the results PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, which are considered more accurate than rapid antigen testing.
Mild sniffles & cough & slight fever past few days. Right now, no symptoms, although I did take NyQuil.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
Asked by one followers about his symptoms, he said: “Mild sniffles & cough & slight fever past few days. Right now, no symptoms, although I did take NyQuil.”
Mr Musk’s suspected diagnosis could prevent him from attending the Kennedy Space Centre on Sunday, when SpaceX are set to launch for astronauts to the International Space Station.
The mission, originally scheduled for Saturday, was delayed by 24 hours “due to onshore winds and first stage booster recovery readiness”.
