Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was forced to pull out of a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni yesterday because of the virus infection.
He said: "I have got a virus and a high temperature and I've spent the last 24 hours asleep in bed."
His spokesman said Mr Straw was unable to attend because of the illness but his Junior Minister Kim Howells hosted a lunch where the two discussed Middle Eastern matters including Iran, Iraq and the Hamas victory in the Palestinian territories elections.
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