HOLS NIGHTMARE
Easter flights chopped as virus claims second victim in UK and Scots rugby star gets Covid-19
EASTER holiday plans were in chaos last night as case numbers surged and a second person in the UK died after contracting coronavirus.
Airlines including BA, easyJet and Ryanair are axing flights due to falling demand as global cases topped 100,000 yesterday, with 3400 deaths.
The latest UK victim, a man in his early 80s with underlying health conditions, tested positive for the virus and died at Milton Keynes Hospital on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Scotland Women’s Six Nations match with France at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium today has been postponed after a home player contracted coronavirus.
The player is being treated in “a healthcare facility but is otherwise well”, says Scottish Rugby, while seven members of the Scotland playing and management staff are in self-isolation.
It comes as the number of confirmed cases in the UK rose to 164, a rise of 49 on the previous day – Britain’s biggest day-on-day increase yet.
The UK’s first death linked to the virus was confirmed on Thursday when a woman in her 70s – also with underlying health issues – died in hospital.
As well as her death in the UK, a British man also died from the virus last month after being infected on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan.
A scientist helping develop a vaccine for the virus has called it the worst disease outbreak since Spanish flu, which killed millions in 1918.
Dr Richard Hatchett, who leads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said: “This is the most frightening disease I’ve ever encountered in my career, and that includes Ebola, MERS and SARS. The most concerning thing is the combination of infectiousness and the ability to cause severe disease or death.” Cases are rocketing across Europe, leading to many rethinking their spring holiday plans. The death toll in Italy rose from 148 to 197 last night, with 4600 confirmed cases. Foreign Office ministers are considering extending travel warnings across the entire country, from the advice against the quarantined zone in the north of the country. Ibiza has confirmed its first case when an Italian tourist there tested positive for the disease, after six cases were
recorded on the neighbouring island of Majorca.
Two more people died from coronavirus in France, taking the total to nine, while the number of confirmed infections there rose by 154 to 577
Confirmed cases in Germany tripled in two days, rising from 180 on Tuesday to 555 by 4pm on Thursday.
Belgium’s cases more than doubled to 109 yesterday, while Greece detected 14 new cases, bringing the total in the country to 45.
Meanwhile, a 43-year-old British businessman was confirmed with Covid-19 in Thailand.
Two BA baggage handlers have tested positive and were recovering in isolation at home.
Butlins and Center Parcs said their holiday parks were open for business, although Center Parcs urged booked guests who have symptoms to inform them and, if the virus is suspected, to cancel their trip. Visit Somerset, where Glastonbury is held in June, said there have been spring break cancellations.
The Royal British Legion said it may scale back VE Day 75th anniversary events on May 8 to protect elderly veterans. It said: “The welfare and safety of our veterans is our priority. We will follow the relevant advice from Public Health England.”
Travel insurance sales have surged – up 168 per cent year-on-year for the Post Office and 150 per cent at CoverForYou, with traffic to insurance pages at Travel Supermarket up 85 per cent in a week.
A child at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool has tested positive, but no details of age or gender were given. A church has been closed after a parishioner was diagnosed with coronavirus after attending the Holy Communion service at St Mary’s in Churston Ferrers, Devon, on Sunday.
Facebook closed its London offices until Monday after a Singapore-based employee who visited last month was diagnosed with Covid-19.
Scams linked to the outbreak have cost consumers over £800,000. Many involved people trying to buy protective masks with one victim paying £15,000 for masks that never arrived, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau said.