- Footage has emerged of a UK health minister coughing in Parliament shortly before going into isolation.
- Edward Argar MP was isolated after dining with another UK minister who tested positive for the coronavirus.
- Argar was filmed coughing and looking ill in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
- There are fears that the COVID-19 virus is spreading rapidly throughout Westminster.
- Follow the latest developments in the UK as coronavirus continues to spread.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
A health minister in Boris Johnson's UK government was filmed coughing over the despatch box while addressing Members of Parliament on Tuesday before being placed in isolation due to fears he may have the coronavirus.
Edward Argar MP is self-isolating after dining with fellow health minister, Nadine Dorries, who announced earlier this week that she had tested positive for coronavirus.
Footage has since emerged of Argar coughing and looking visibly ill at the government despatch box while addressing MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday, adding to fears that the virus is spreading within the UK Parliament.
This video shows Argar coughing in the House of Commons:
At least six MPs are isolating in a bid to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus as of Thursday morning, including an unnamed Cabinet minister.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is among several MPs who interacted with Nadine Dorries before she was tested positive for the virus. However, he has shown no symptoms of coronavirus, and has not been tested for it.
The UK government will on Thursday announce that Britain has entered the "delay" phase of its plan for combating the virus.
This decision is set to see the introduction of "social distancing methods" like advising employees to work from home and telling sports teams to play games behind closed doors.
Johnson will chair a COBRA meeting of senior ministers and health officials on Thursday afternoon.
There were 460 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK as of this morning, with eight deaths related to the virus.
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The Health Minister Edward Argar has been placed in self-isolation after dining with Nadine Dorries according to the Telegraph. Here he is coughing at the despatch box on Tuesday. https://t.co/iqLsDBvtq5 pic.twitter.com/Ta1Cx35sjd
- Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) March 12, 2020