Labour MP Alex Sobel will be tested for coronavirus as a precaution after attending the same London conference as a patient with the infection (Picture: Rex)

A Labour MP has said he will be tested for coronavirus after attending the same London summit as a person confirmed to have the infection.

Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel was at the UK Bus Summit with 250 delegates from the nationwide bus and transport industry.

Mr Sobel announced on Twitter: ‘I attended the UK bus summit on the 6 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.’


Some 250 delegates from across the UK attended the conference in central London earlier this month (Picture: @TrapezeGroupUK)

Hospital staff in full protective gear at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital where patients are being treated for coronavirus (Picture: LNP)

A spokesman for Mr Sobel said he was not unwell and had no symptoms, but had decided to self-isolate at home until next week as a precaution.



His engagements have been cancelled until Wednesday.

Labour’s Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood also attended the summit in London and said she has cancelled all her public engagements until February 20 as a precaution.

Among the other speakers listed for the event were buses minister Baroness Vere and the former parliamentary under secretary of state for transport, Nusrat Ghani.

Efforts are being made to contact people from across the UK who attended the conference in central London where they may have come into contact with the coronavirus patient.

A man in a medical mask seen cleaning surfaces inside Ritchie Street Health Centre in Islington which closed on Thursday due to the Coronavirus outbreak (Picture: LNP)

The ninth person confirmed to have the virus in the UK was diagnosed in London (Picture: PA)

The Chinese delegate was among those at the event held at the QEII centre in Westminster on February 6, but they did not start showing symptoms until three days later.

Initially it was thought the attendee was the London patient, the ninth person to have contracted the virus, but this was not the case.

Everyone who attended the summit has been emailed warning them that they may have come into contact with the person later confirmed to have the disease.

They received a letter from Public Health England telling anyone with symptoms to self-isolate and contact the NHS 111 helpline.

The news comes as planes at Heathrow Airport were put on lockdown over coronavirus fears.

Eight planes were grounded after passengers complained of flu-like symptoms.

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