- A minister in Boris Johnson's government has tested positive for coronavirus.
- UK Health Minister Nadine Dorries said on Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Dorries had reportedly met with MPs and Johnson over the past week, prior to her diagnosis.
- It's not yet known how Dorries contracted the virus or if she spread it to anyone else.
- Six people in the UK have died after catching coronavirus.
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A health minister in Boris Johnson's UK government has tested positive for coronavirus.
Nadine Dorries confirmed on Tuesday evening that she had caught the COVID-19 virus after The Times of London broke the news.
Dorries on Tuesday night thanked well-wishers for their support and revealed that her 84-year-old mother had started showing symptoms of the virus.
Thanks for so many good wishes. It’s been pretty rubbish but I hope I’m over the worst of it now. More worried about my 84yo mum who is staying with me and began with the cough today. She is being tested tomorrow. Keep safe and keep washing those hands, everyone.
— Nadine Dorries 🇬🇧 (@NadineDorries) March 10, 2020
Dorries, the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, began to feel sick on Friday and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday. She's currently in isolation recovering.
Dorries attended a reception with Prime Minister Johnson and met other MPs prior to her diagnosis, according to the Times.
How Dorries contracted the virus is not yet known.
"Public Health England has started detailed contact tracing and the department and my parliamentary office are closely following their advice," Dorries told the BBC.
The UK has confirmed more than 380 coronavirus infections and six people have died as of Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Johnson said they expect the virus to "spread in a significant way."
The country is also seeing an increase of community spread, where someone who hasn't travelled to an affected area or interacts with a known infected person, contracts the virus.
The new coronavirus causes a respiratory illness named COVID-19, which has flu-like symptoms.
Experts have advised the public to practice good personal hygiene including frequent hand-washing for at least 20 second, staying home if sick, and avoiding large crowds to help protect themselves and also limit the spread of the virus.
- Read more:
- The UK has reported 373 coronavirus cases and 6 deaths. Here's what we know about how the virus is spreading across Britain.
- Coronavirus live updates: More than 118,000 people have been infected and over 4,200 have died. The US has reported 28 deaths. Here's everything we know.
- Supermarkets in the UK are rationing hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and pasta to prevent coronavirus panic buying
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