London, UK - Ed Sheeran has tested positive for Covid-19 less than a week before the release of his forthcoming fifth album.

The chart-topping singer-songwriter said in a statement posted on Instagram that he still intends to give his planned interviews and performances from his home.

"Hey guys. Quick note to tell you that I've sadly tested positive for Covid, so I'm now self-isolating and following government guidelines," Sheeran said.

"It means that I'm now unable to plough ahead with any in-person commitments for now, so I'll be doing as many of my planned interviews/performances as I can from my house."

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"Apologies to anyone I've let down. Be safe everyone."

The 30-year-old album, titled =, is set to drop Friday, and it's been a long time coming. Sheeran said in an previous post that he had been working on it since 2017, four long years during which he's "been through love, loss, new life, grief, and everything in between."

Next week, Sheeran is due to join Apple Music's Zane Lowe live to play new songs from his album and take questions from fans, but it's unclear how these plans will be affected by his positive test.