DOMINIC Cummings is self isolating at home after suffering symptoms of coronavirus.
The Prime Minister's controversial top aide is the latest senior Westminster figure to fall ill.
Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock tested positive for Covid-19 at the end of last week.
They are both self-isolating as is chief medical officer in England Sir Chris Whitty, who said he had come down with symptoms on Friday.
Cummings was seen on Friday running out of Number 10 after both Johnson and Hancock announced their positive tests.
The aide is said to have been particularly cautious in recent weeks to stop himself from contracting coronavirus, including avoiding the London Underground, according to Sky News.
Cummings is believed to have chaired many key meetings in recent weeks as the UK fights the spread of the virus.
According to a recent report published by the Sunday Times, it was Cummings who had initially argued against strict measures to contain coronavirus in a view summarised as “if that means some pensioners die, too bad”.
A Downing Street spokesman later said the claims about Cummings’ viewpoint had not been put to No 10 in advance and contained “invented” quotes.
While the phrase “herd immunity” was used by Government figures such as Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, No 10 denied it was ever a tactic.
Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday, a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber, and received the positive test result around midnight.
Scotland in lockdown. Shops are closing and newspaper sales are falling fast. It’s no exaggeration to say that the future of The National is at stake. Please consider supporting us through this with a digital subscription from just £2 for 2 months by following this link: http://www.thenational.scot/subscribe. Thanks – and stay safe.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel