Nadine Dorries – the health minister who helped draft the government’s anti-Coronavirus legislation – has been diagnosed as the first MP to contract the virus. Whilst it’s bad news for Nadine and her staffer as well as Nadine’s mother who have both shown symptoms, it’s even more worrying for Westminster more widely. Officially there were only 5 confirmed cases in Westminster yesterday. Don’t be surprised if SW1 soon becomes a hotspot for the pandemic…

The Public Health England website states Coronavirus generally spreads after spending “more than 15 minutes within two metres of an infected person, such as talking to someone.” So who should perhaps be self-isolating?

• MP Rachael Maskell has announced 111 have advised she self-isolate after a meeting with Dorries last Thursday
• Anyone in the Department for Health (apparently Matt Hancock feels fine)
• The 50 constituents who attended Nadine’s Saturday surgery (which she held even though she was beginning to feel ill on Thursday)
• Attendees of No. 10’s Women’s Day Reception last Thursday, including:
  • The PM himself
  • Carrie Symonds
  • Liz Truss
  • Founder of STEMettes Anne-Marie Imafidon
  • Grazia editor Hattie Brett
  • Olympic medalist Dame Kelly Holmes
  • Fifty girls in Year 9 who are due to make their GCSE choices
  • Female students from the Westminster Kingsway Catering School.

Best wishes to Nadine and all who met her…

UPDATE: Boris is not being tested for coronavirus as Guido is told he is not displaying symptoms and was not in close personal contact with Nadine Dorries at Thursday’s Number 10 reception. He’s regularly washing his hands…