British health minister tests positive for coronavirus

A British health minister has the new coronavirus — the first UK lawmaker to be diagnosed with the disease. Nadine Dorries, a junior minister in the Department of Health, said she is self-isolating as she recovers. Dorries first showed symptoms on Friday and had since worked in Parliament, held meetings with constituents and attended an International Women's Day reception with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

British MP Nadine Dorries, a minister in the health department, has tested positive for coronavirus, she said in a statement on Tuesday.

"I can confirm I have tested positive for coronavirus... and have been self-isolating at home," said the Conservative MP.

Health officials are now trying to trace where she contracted the virus and who she has been in contact with, she added.

Dorries, who helped craft the legislation to fight the bug, is the first British politician to be diagnosed with COVID-19, raising immediate concern about whether she has spread the infection.

The Times reported that she had been in touch with hundreds of people, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

She fell unwell on Friday while signing the document that declared coronavirus a notifiable disease, meaning companies could obtain insurance cover, said the paper, adding she was now believed to be on the road to recovery.

"I would like to thank... the wonderful NHS staff who have provided me with advice and support," she said, referring to Britain's National Health Service.

The shock news is likely to increase calls to suspend parliament, despite the government's reluctance to do so in the middle of a health crisis.

Six people have died in Britain from the virus, with 373 confirmed cases.

X
Sitelerimizde reklam ve pazarlama faaliyetlerinin yürütülmesi amaçları ile çerezler kullanılmaktadır.

Bu çerezler, kullanıcıların tarayıcı ve cihazlarını tanımlayarak çalışır.

İnternet sitemizin düzgün çalışması, kişiselleştirilmiş reklam deneyimi, internet sitemizi optimize edebilmemiz, ziyaret tercihlerinizi hatırlayabilmemiz için veri politikasındaki amaçlarla sınırlı ve mevzuata uygun şekilde çerez konumlandırmaktayız.

Bu çerezlere izin vermeniz halinde sizlere özel kişiselleştirilmiş reklamlar sunabilir, sayfalarımızda sizlere daha iyi reklam deneyimi yaşatabiliriz. Bunu yaparken amacımızın size daha iyi reklam bir deneyimi sunmak olduğunu ve sizlere en iyi içerikleri sunabilmek adına elimizden gelen çabayı gösterdiğimizi ve bu noktada, reklamların maliyetlerimizi karşılamak noktasında tek gelir kalemimiz olduğunu sizlere hatırlatmak isteriz.