Cabinet minister self-isolating despite negative test for coronavirus
A Cabinet minister has said she is following the advice of doctors and self-isolating after coming into contact with health minister Nadine Dorries, who tested positive for the coronavirus.
International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said on Friday that she has tested negative for the virus, but will stay at home for seven days as a precaution.
Two other Tory MPs announced they are in self-isolation, one after coming into contact with Ms Dorries and the other saying he had exhibited some symptoms.
Ms Trevelyan was with Ms Dorries at the International Women's Day event hosted by Boris Johnson in Downing Street on March 5.
But, unlike the Prime Minister, she is understood to have come into "particularly close contact" with Ms Dorries, having shared a hug and been together for an extended period.
A spokesman for Ms Trevelyan said the test "came back negative" on Friday morning, adding: "On the advice of doctors, she is self-isolating for a further seven days as a precaution."
Ms Dorries said she started feeling unwell on the same day she attended Number 10 but did not develop a cough until the following morning.
Ms Trevelyan, who is understood not to be exhibiting any symptoms, was planning to continue working from home remotely.
Her move came after the PM introduced new measures to protect the elderly and vulnerable from the Covid-19 sickness.
Anyone with even mild symptoms, such as a continuous cough or high temperature, must stay home for seven days.
He said that more severe measures – such as entire households staying home if one member has been taken ill – may be introduced in the future.
Hi everyone. Following a conversation I had with an infected colleague last week, Public Health England have advised me (and one or two others I understand) to self-isolate for a few days. The advice is given out of an abundance of caution, but I of course accept it.So, I'll be staying up here in London instead of coming back to Cheltenham. Sorry I won't be able to make the concert in Bethesda Church over the weekend.I should say that I feel absolutely as right as rain, and will be able to carry on a great deal of my constituency and ministerial duties from here.My heartfelt thanks go out to the army of medics, particularly in Gloucestershire, for all that they are doing to tackle this outbreak.
Posted by Alex Chalk on Thursday, March 12, 2020
Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk is self-isolating after he said he was contacted by Public Health England (PHE) officials who were carrying out "contact tracing" over Ms Dorries.
He said he and a "number of other MPs" had been contacted by PHE, with his contact with Ms Dorries being in the library last week.
Mr Chalk said he would stay in London rather than return to his constituency but that he would continue working while "completely asymptomatic" and feeling as "fit as a flea".
Given symptoms that have developed today, I'm following the up-to-date medical advice and will isolate myself for the next week. I will be using the NHS website to seek further advice and arrange to undertake any necessary tests. https://t.co/YfYLpY996v
— William Wragg MP (@William_Wragg) March 12, 2020
Hazel Grove MP William Wragg said after the PM's announcement on Friday that he would also be self-isolating.
"Given symptoms that have developed today, I'm following the up-to-date medical advice and will isolate myself for the next week," he tweeted.
"I will be using the NHS website to seek further advice and arrange to undertake any necessary tests."
Health Minister Edward Argar is also self-isolating "as a precaution" after having lunch with Ms Dorries, as is Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who also met Ms Dorries on March 5.
