THE UK Health Minister has become the first MP to test positive for coronavirus. 

Conservative woman Nadine Dorries says she is self-isolating after her diagnosis was revealed yesterday. 

Ms Dorries, who was part of the team which drew up legislation to deal with the spread of the virus, said in a statement that as soon as she was informed she took all the advised precautions and has been staying at home.

She said: "Public Health England has started detailed contact tracing and the department and my parliamentary office are closely following their advice."

Ms Dorries thanked the NHS staff who had provided her with advice and support.

The MP, 62, met hundreds of people last week, including a large number of MPs, and attended a conference outside Westminster.

On Thursday she attended a Downing Street event hosted by Mr Johnson to mark International Women’s Day.

She started feeling ill on Friday as she was signing a statutory instrument that declared coronavirus to be a “notifiable disease”, enabling companies to obtain insurance cover.

Glasgow Times:

People are taking precautions agianst the virus

The health minister held a surgery in her Mid Bedfordshire constituency on Saturday, attended by 50 people.

It is understood she took part in a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday, before self-isolating. 

Cabinet Minister Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, released a statement on social media, saying:  "Really sorry to hear Nadine has tested positive for coronavirus.

"She has done the right thing by self isolating at home, and both NHS and PHE staff have been brilliant. We all wish her well as she recovers. 

"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."

Westmister responded to the nes by saying that officials are conducting the standard process of contact tracing and identifying anyone who has shown symptoms or might be at risk.

Staff are not being told to avoid Whitehall or parliament.

The number of confirmed cases in Scotland of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, has reached 27 with a sixth death now recorded in the UK.

The man, who was in his 80s and had underlying health conditions, died on Monday night in Watford General Hospital in Hertfordshire. He had picked up the infection within the UK.

To date, 382 people in the UK have tested positive for the virus.