Coronavirus Update

Posted on January 23rd, 2020

The Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England have confirmed that two patients in England have tested positive for coronavirus. Based on the World Health Organization’s declaration that this is a public health emergency of international concern, the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate. The risk to individuals in the UK has not changed at this stage.

Even if you do not have symptoms of the virus, if you have travelled from Wuhan or Hubei Province to the UK in the last 14 days you should immediately:
• stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
• call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the area

If you have travelled from elsewhere in China (but not Macao or Hong Kong) to the UK in the last 14 days and develop symptoms of cough, fever or shortness of breath (no matter how minor), you should immediately:
• stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
• call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country

For further guidance and advice on how to minimise the spread of infection, please visit here.

We should already be adhering to standard recommendations to prevent infection and illness which include regular hand washing, covering your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs as well as avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such coughing or sneezing.

If you are planning to travel abroad, please make sure you are up to date with all the necessary vaccines for your trip. If you are unsure of what you will need, click here to go to our advice page.

(Information updated 04.02.2020)