U.K. Health Minister Nadine Dorries became the first British MP to test positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday and is recovering at home.
“I can confirm I have tested positive for coronavirus,” Dorries, who is 62 years old, said in a statement. “As soon as I was informed I took all the advised precautions and have been self isolating at home. Public Health England has started detailed contact tracing and the department and my parliamentary office are closely following their advice.”
According to the Times newspaper, Dorries met hundreds of people in parliament over the past week and attended an International Women’s Day event in No. 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister Boris Johnson last Thursday. She began feeling unwell on Friday, but held meetings attended by 50 people in her Mid Bedfordshire constituency on Saturday.
Six people have died of the virus in the U.K., with 382 infected.
“Really sorry to hear Nadine has tested positive for coronavirus. She has done the right thing by self isolating at home,” U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Twitter. “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.”
In a tweet, Dorries said: “It’s been pretty rubbish but I hope I’m over the worst of it now,” adding that she was more concerned about her elderly mother, who has been staying with her and began coughing on Tuesday.