UK Health Minister Tested Coronavirus Positive

The number of confirmed Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Britain rose by 54 to 373 on Tuesday. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee on Monday in response to the ongoing outbreak, later announcing that the UK would remain in a "containment" stage of managing the pandemic.

British Health Minister Nadine Dorries, who reportedly has met hundreds of people in parliament over the last week and attended a reception at 10 Downing Street with Boris Johnson, has been diagnosed with the Wuhan coronavirus.

"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", Dorries said in a statement.

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

​According to The Times, Dorries felt poorly on Friday last week and her diagnosis was confirmed only this evening. The British minister is reportedly now in isolation and is said to be recovering.

Dorries, who played a crucial role in drafting a bill to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, was reportedly infected by an unidentified individual while she was implementing her duties in parliament and the Department of Health and Social Care last week.

Officials are currently probing all those with whom she has been in contact since contracting the virus, including members of Parliament, The Times reported.

The number of total confirmed COVID-19 cases across the globe rose above 118,000 earlier in the day, while the death count has topped 4,200.