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Officials confirm first UK cases of novel coronavirus
LONDON, Jan 31, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – British health officials said Friday two
people had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, in the country’s first
cases since the deadly outbreak emerged in China and spread globally this
month.
The announcement came as Britain prepares to receive 87 of its citizens it
has evacuated from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of the epidemic
which has so far killed 213 people.
With a growing number of cases reported in at least 19 other countries, the
World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday declared the SARS-like virus’
spread an international public health emergency.
Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, insisted the country was
“extremely well-prepared” and that officials were working with the WHO and
others “to ensure we are ready for all eventualities”.
“We can confirm that two patients in England, who are members of the same
family, have tested positive for coronavirus,” he said in a statement.
Whitty added the patients were receiving specialist care, including “tried
and tested infection control procedures to prevent further spread of the
virus”.
“We have been preparing for UK cases of novel coronavirus and we have
robust infection control measures in place,” he added, noting officials were
working to identify any contacts the patients had.
Britain’s domestic Press Association news agency reported the two patients
are being treated at a hospital in Newcastle, in northeast England.
UK health officials declined to reveal the location, citing patient
confidentiality.
– Repatriation effort –
China’s National Health Commission revealed Friday that nearly 10,000
people there have been infected by the novel coronavirus.
Some countries including the United States and Japan have told their
citizens to avoid travelling to the country.
Meanwhile Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, has been subject to an
unprecedented lockdown, preventing residents from leaving in a bid to stop
further spread.
Thousands of foreigners were among the millions of people confined in the
metropolis, and numerous countries have begun airlifting their nationals out.
A plane chartered by Britain to evacuate its citizens and other Europeans
on Friday departed the city with 110 people aboard — 83 Britons and 27
others.
It was to land at an air force base in central England at about 1:00 pm
(1300 GMT) local time, with returning Britons to be isolated for 14 days at a
medical facility in northwest England.
The evacuees will be taken by bus to Arrowe Park Hospital, near Liverpool,
for a two-week quarantine period housed in an accommodation block usually
used by health service staff.
Anyone with suspicious symptoms will be taken to the Royal Liverpool and
Broadgreen Hospital, which has a high-level infectious diseases unit.
“It’s welcome news that our evacuation flight has now left Wuhan,” Foreign
Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.
“We know how distressing the situation has been for those waiting to leave.
We have been working round the clock to clear the way for a safe departure.”
BSS/AFP/ARS/1746 hrs