Breaking
Health minister becomes first MP to be diagnosed with coronavirus
Nadine Dorries with Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA. - Credit: PA
Tory Brexiteer MP Nadine Dorries has become the first politician in parliament to test positive for the coronavirus.
Dorries, a junior health minister who overses patient safety, is not sure how she contracted the Covid-19 virus but officials are now scrambling to try and reach those she has met since she fell ill.
The politician had attended an International Women's Day reception at Downing Street on Thursday evening with Boris Johnson and developed the symptoms hours after.
Despite this, the MP for Mid Bedfordshire continued with a surgery in her constituency for 50 people on Saturday.
The diagnosis was only confirmed on Tuesday evening after being placed in isolation.
You may also want to watch:
In a statement to the BBC, Dorries said: 'I can confirm I have tested positive for coronavirus.
'As soon as I was informed I took all advised precautions and have been self isolating at home.
Most Read
- 1 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime
- 2 The bigot we should have called out on day one
- 3 James O'Brien schools Brexiteer who refuses to accept new EU-UK trade rules
- 4 Matt Hancock praises free school meals before being reminded he voted against them
- 5 Nigel Farage launches new party in Scotland to promote 'positive case for the Union'
- 6 Keir Starmer got it right with vote on Brexit deal
- 7 The polling that signals the plight of the Union
- 8 Brexiteer MP ridiculed after calling for free movement of goods between GB and NI
- 9 Scottish fishing boats ditch UK waters for Denmark to escape Brexit red tape
- 10 PMQs Review: The one where the speaker finally snapped
'Public Health England has started detailed contact tracing and the department and my parliamentary office are closely following their advice.'
Health secretary Matt Hancock said that she 'has done the right thing by self isolating at home' after she tested positive.
He added: 'We wish her well as she recovers'.
Parliamentarians have so far resisted a possibility that the House of Commons and Lords could be suspended until the end of September, claiming it would send the wrong signal to the British public.
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.