UK parliament's usually rowdy 'PMQs' muted by coronavirus risk

It's normally the rowdy highlight of the British parliamentary week, a time when lawmakers pack the chamber to put questions to the Prime Minister of the day. But on Wednesday it will be a distinctly muted affair with only a small number of Members of Parliament (MPs) allowed into the chamber because of the coronavirus outbreak.

"In order to ensure that we follow the advice being given to the public, it has been decided that only people on the order paper should be in the chamber ..," the government's deputy chief enforcer in parliament Stuart Andrew said. There are just 15 for prime minister's questions, or PMQs, which takes place every Wednesday at midday. The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, is also due to attend to ask questions of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Earlier this week, the government asked the public to avoid unnecessary social contact and work from home where possible as it ramped up its response to the spread of the virus. There have been at least two confirmed cases of lawmakers with coronavirus and many are self isolating due to either having symptoms themselves or coming into contact with someone who does.