PASSENGERS flying into London from China will be checked for coronavirus as the killer strain spreads, it has been claimed today.
At least nine people have died while 440 victims have been infected by the virus so far, with fears it could become global.
Public Health England is expected to upgrade the risk to the UK from “very low” to “low” today.
And as part of the increasingly stringent measures, it is expected Health Secretary Matt Hancock will put introduce “port measures” that will include:
- Health teams to meet each flights from Wuhan to London Heathrow
- Passengers to be encouraged to report if they are feeling ill
- Planes to land in isolated areas of Heathrow Terminal 4 that “better lends itself to any health contingencies”
- People will be taken to a separate area on arrival
It comes after NHS chiefs have warned that the bug, which causes fever and difficulty breathing, could reach Britain as it spreads through Asia.
Dr Nick Phin, Public Health England deputy director, said: “We have issued advice to the NHS and are keeping the situation under constant review.
“People travelling to Wuhan should maintain good hand, respiratory and personal hygiene and should avoid visiting animal and bird markets or people who are ill with respiratory symptoms.
“Individuals should seek medical attention if they develop respiratory symptoms within 14 days of visiting Wuhan, either in China or on their return to the UK, informing their health service prior to their attendance about their recent travel to the city.
The outbreak of coronavirus is believed to have started in a market in Wuhan, China, in December – which is connected to London by three direct flights per week.
The first case of the mystery illness in the US is set to be announced later today, federal sources said.
The American patient was hospitalised for pneumonia last week and had recently travelled to Wuhan, China where the respiratory disease was first spotted.
The virus could be declared a global health crisis after cases of the mystery bug previously quadrupled in just four days.
And an expert warned the deadly new virus is one of the “biggest global health threats”.
Scientists are frantically working on a vaccine to stop the spread of Wuhancoronavirus – but say it could be more than a year before it’s available.
WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS?
WHAT is it? Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars). The latest strain had not previously been identified in humans.
HOW is it spread? Coronaviruses are transmitted between animals and people. The first of the latest cases were among people connected to a wholesale seafood market in Wuhan, China — but Chinese officials say human-to-human transmission has also been confirmed. The World Health Organisation says some coronaviruses can be transmitted in this way.
WHAT are the symptoms? Initial symptoms include fever, cough, tightness of the chest and breathing difficulties. Severe cases can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and death. There are no specific treatments for the new coronavirus but symptoms can be relieved.
WHAT is being done to stop it spreading? Numerous nations have adopted screening measures for travellers arriving from China. And the World Health Organisation is holding an emergency meeting today in Geneva to decide whether the outbreak “constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, and what recommendations should be made to manage it”. It is urging people to take measures such as regular hand washing, avoiding close contact with anyone coughing and sneezing, and thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.
Dr Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said a team of scientists in Texas, New York and China, are also working on a vaccine.
He told the broadcaster: “The lesson we’ve learned is coronavirus infections are serious and one of the newest and biggest global health threats.”
Dr Hotez added that it’s less challenging to develop a vaccine for coronaviruses than for other viruses, including HIV or flu.
He said: “Every virus has its challenges, but coronaviruses can be a relatively straightforward vaccine target.”
According to the South China Morning Post, Bejing warned that anyone who withheld information would face severe punishment and be “nailed on the pillar of shame for eternity”.
A spokesperson said: “Anyone who puts the face of politicians before the interests of the people will be the sinner of a millennium to the party and the people.
“Anyone who deliberately delays and hides the reporting of [virus] cases out of his or her own self-interest will be nailed on the pillar of shame for eternity.”
3
3
3
