UK Health Minister gets coronavirus; did she carry virus to PM's residence?

Dorries had visited No.10 Downing Street, the residence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on the day she started showing symptoms of the virus

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UK's health minister has said she has been infected with the coronavirus, even as the number of dead in the country rose to six. Nadine Dorries said she is undergoing treatment and has been in self-isolation at home ever since the infection was diagnosed. Dorries is the first UK parliamentarian to be tested positive for the virus.

According to the UK's department of health, Dorries had visited No.10 Downing Street, the residence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the day she started showing symptoms of the virus. Dorries has been in self-isolation since Friday, a day after she showed symptoms.

UK's health minister  Nadine Dorries
UK's health minister Nadine Dorries Wikimedia Commons / Chris McAndrew

In a worrying development, it has been revealed that she had attended public events at Downing Street around the time she showed symptoms and that PM Johnson had also attended the events. The number of meetings and events she participated in Westminster and her constituency in the recent days is being ascertained by UK's health officials.

Meanwhile, No 10 Downing Street did not reveal if Johnson would undergo testing for the virus. BBC reported. However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, along with other health ministry officials, will undergo testing for the coronavirus. "I understand why people are worried about this disease. We will do all we can to keep people safe, based on the best possible science," Hancock tweeted.

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