Queen ditches handshakes amid coronavirus fears

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has ditched her usual style of greeting guests amid fears over the coronavirus, after a UK health minister was confirmed to have the disease.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has ditched her usual practice of shaking hands with visitors to Buckingham Palace amid the global coronavirus outbreak.

On Tuesday, the 93-year-old monarch was pictured meeting the Sri Lankan High Commisioner Saroja Sirisena and her husband as part of her regular audiences.

Pictures show she greeted the couple from a distance in a decision that was said to be her personal preference in accordance with government advice.

RELATED: Read the latest on the royal family

RELATED: Read the latest on coronavirus

It came after the Queen also wore gloves for an investiture ceremony at the palace on March 3 in the first time in more than a decade.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II met with the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Saroja Sirisena (c) and her husband Sudath Talpahewa but did not shake hands. Picture: Dominic Lipinski / POOL / AFP.

The Queen opted not to shake hands on Tuesday, following official advice. Picture: Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty Images.

On Monday UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was told not to shake hands with dignitaries, including the Queen, at a Commonwealth Service to send a message about the importance of hygiene.

There have been 382 cases of coronavirus in the UK with six deaths, in an outbreak that is rapidly escalating across Europe and around the world. At least 128 cases have been confirmed in Australia so far.

On March 3 the Queen was also pictured wearing gloves in Buckingham Palace. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth wore gloves at a recent ceremony for the first time in more than a decade following health advice. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP.

England’s Health Minister and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with the disease after saying she felt ill last Friday.

She had previously attended a reception at Downing Street and met with hundreds of people and said she was worried about her 84-year-old mother who was staying with her at home.

Thanks for so many good wishes. It’s been pretty rubbish but I hope I’m over the worst of it now. More worried about my 84yo mum who is staying with me and began with the cough today. She is being tested tomorrow. Keep safe and keep washing those hands, everyone.

— Nadine Dorries 🇬🇧 (@NadineDorries) March 10, 2020

A huge list of global events from trade shows to sporting fixtures have been cancelled in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease.

On Wednesday, Iran announced 63 new deaths taking its total to 354, while Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Rome would allocate 25 billion euros ($43 billion) to fight the spread that has already killed 631 people in Italy so far.