Health minister Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with coronavirus, according to a report.
The Under-Secretary of State for Health, 62, is said to have fallen ill last Friday and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday night.
The Times reports that she is now in isolation and is recovering from her symptoms.
Her diagnosis could send a wave of fear through Downing Street as she attended a reception at No. 10 with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and has met hundreds of people in Parliament over the past week, the newspaper claims.
In a statement to the BBC, Ms Dorries said: ‘I can confirm I have tested positive for coronavirus.
‘As soon as I was informed I took all 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.’
Ms Dorries had been part of a team that drew up legislation to tackle coronavirus before she fell ill.
Officials are in the process of identifying all people she has been in contact with since contracting the virus, including MPs.
Any who have displayed similar symptoms will be tested.
Matt Hancock, who as Health Secretary is her boss, was last night understood to be fit and well and not showing any symptoms.
He tweeted last night: ‘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.’
The news will fuel fears that parliament may have to be closed as the virus outbreak continues to spread across Europe.
Mrs Dorries met hundreds of people last week, including a large number of MPs, and attended a conference outside Westminster.
She started feeling ill on Friday as she was signing papers that declared coronavirus to be a ‘notifiable disease’, enabling companies to obtain insurance cover.
The health minister held a surgery in her Mid Bedfordshire constituency on Saturday, attended by 50 people.
Over the weekend she experienced the ‘classic symptoms’ of the disease – a dry cough, high temperature and ‘vice-like’ pain in her chest.
A government source said: ‘As with everything, we are being guided by the science on this. This will be treated like any other standard case.
‘Officials are conducting the standard process of contact tracing and identifying anyone who has shown symptoms.’
It was reported last week that plans were being considered to suspend parliament for five months to prevent MPs from spreading coronavirus across the country.
One source said that there were potentially ‘650 superspreaders’ because the 650 MPs spend half their time in Westminster and half their time in their constituencies.
Earlier this week the parliamentary authorities decided against taking action to either restrict access to parliament or close it down. Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has said it should stay open because scrutiny is ‘incredibly important’ during the outbreak.
The decision was due to be reviewed early next week. Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, has warned elderly peers and MPs that they might be told to stay at home for their own protection.
MPs could be asked to take part in teleconference debates and vote in separate rooms under other measures being discussed to combat the spread of coronavirus.
The Commons procedure committee, which scrutinises the running of parliament, is exploring ways to keep parliamentary business going as the crisis escalates.
Ideas that were put forward in a meeting yesterday include holding debates remotely via teleconference. Other suggestions included limiting the number of MPs who can be inside the chamber at any one time, and holding voting lobbies in separate rooms. The prospect of temporarily suspending the work of select committees was also discussed.
The committee is preparing to make recommendations on the basis of official estimates that between 20 per cent and 35 per cent of people working on the estate could have to self-isolate because of coronavirus. Up to a third of parliamentary staff, including Hansard writers, catering staff and security guards might be unable to work
The Times reported that Mrs Dorries is understood to be over the worst and is recovering well.
Mr Hancock, her boss, is in good health and showing no symptoms of coronavirus.
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