Labour MP Lilian GreenwoodTwo MPs have today revealed they have gone into ‘self-isolation’ after attending a Westminster bus conference that was attended by one of the UK’s nine coronavirus patients and 250 other delegates.
Labour MPs Lilian Greenwood and Alex Sobel both announced their decisions on Twitter.
They revealed they have cancelled upcoming engagements as a precaution until the end of their 14-day incubation period during which they could become ill if infected.
Labour MP Alex SobelIt comes after it was revealed today that one of Britain’s nine confirmed coronavirus cases attended the UK Bus Summit at the QEII Centre on February 6, just a stone’s throw from Parliament.
The virus-carrier was reportedly one of 250 people at the conference, where the star speaker was Boris Johnson‘s Buses Minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton, who posed with an all-electric bus outside the venue.
MailOnline understands the coronavirus patient who attended the conference was not the most recent case – a Chinese woman who took an Uber to A&E at Lewisham Hospital in south London on Sunday night.
Instead, they are believed to be one of the three unknown cases in Brighton – the other three in Brighton were a gas salesman, a GP and an A&E doctor.
Other developments in the coronavirus outbreak today include:
- Cleaners wearing hazmat suits disinfected a 37-storey tower block in London, where a resident with a fever was escorted from in an ambulance
- Almost 65,000 patients around the world have now caught the virus, with the death toll close to 1,400 since the outbreak began at the end of December
- Heathrow was gripped by coronavirus fears with up to eight planes put on lockdown after passengers on board complained of tell-tale symptoms
- Top scientists have ruled out the coronavirus was engineered, dispelling rumours the never-before-seen virus had escaped from a lab
- Churchgoers were urged to avoid communion wine and shaking hands if they have ‘coughs and sneezes’ in coronavirus warning
- Amazon and eBay have been accused of cashing in on the coronavirus outbreak with comedy T-shirts making fun of the crisis
The conference was held just yards from ParliamentMr Sobel, MP for Leeds North West, tweeted: “I attended the UK bus summit on the 6th Feb, where there was an attendee who has tested positive for coronavirus.
“Whilst I have been informed that I am at very low risk, I have called 111 to be formally assessed.
“As a precaution, we have canceled all engagements until next Thursday when the 14-day potential incubation period will end.”
Mr Sobel added: “If you think you may have been in contact with someone who has coronavirus, self-isolate and call 111 for an assessment.'”
Ms Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South, tweeted: “Eight days ago, I spoke at the UK Bus Summit. This morning I received this advice from Public Health England.
“I’m feeling completely well but to be extra-cautious I’m cancelling my public engagements until 20th February. Sorry for any inconvenience.”
According to the report: “All attendees at the UK Bus Summit have been emailed warning them that someone at the summit had the killer disease, according to the Financial Times.
“Attached was a letter from Public Health England (PHE) telling anyone who develops flu-like symptoms to self-isolate at home and call the NHS’ 111 helpline.”
The email said:”‘While the degree of contact you may have had with the case at the summit is unlikely to have been significant, we are taking a precautionary approach and informing you.”
Dr Yimmy Chow, consultant in health protection at PHE, said: “One of our main priorities has been to identify any people who we think have been in close contact with confirmed cases of coronavirus to provide public health advice, as they may be at slightly increased risk of catching the virus.
“While the degree of contact conference delegates may have had with the case is unlikely to have been significant, we have taken a precautionary approach and informed them of the situation.
“The coronavirus patient who attended the conference was not the Chinese woman, the UK’s ninth case.”
Mail Online understands “the infected person was actually one of three patients in Brighton whose identities haven’t yet been revealed. The other three in the seaside city include ‘super-spreader’ Steve Walsh, and two doctors”.
“The patient’s presence in central London at a packed conference will spark fears among the hundreds of people there from the transport industry amid growing public anxiety about the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
“The summit’s speakers included Baroness Vere, who posed with an all-electric bus outside the QEII Centre, which is around 100 yards from Westminster Underground Station.”
