Coronavirus to hit ‘many UK cities’
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it is “too early” to declare an international public health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak as six people are tested for the illness in the UK.
The Scottish Government has confirmed five people are being examined after presenting with symptoms of the illness.
Another patient is being tested to rule out coronavirus at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital, it is understood.
It came after infections expert Professor Jurgen Haas claimed there would likely be “many more cases” around the country.
The World Health Organisation said: “The Emergency Committee on the new #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) considered that it is still too early to declare a public health emergency of international concern given its restrictive and binary nature.”
Speaking at a press conference, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said: “Make no mistake, this is though an emergency in China.
“But it has not yet become a global health emergency. It may yet become one.”
He said 584 cases have been reported to the WHO, including 17 deaths, with 575 of the overall cases and all the deaths reported in China. Other cases have been reported in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.
Dr Tedros said the fact he was not declaring a public health emergency of international concern “should not be taken as a sign that WHO does not think the situation is serious”. He added: “We are aware of media reports of suspected cases in other countries, but those cases are still being investigated.”
While none of the UK cases has been confirmed as the virus so far, two of those being tested in Scotland had been diagnosed with influenza after travelling to Wuhan, China.
A further three people were “undergoing testing on a similar precautionary basis”.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “We are co-orientating with Health Protection Scotland a daily Incident Management Team to continue to monitor the situation as it develops, including on the number of any potential cases going forward.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS is “ready to respond appropriately” to any cases of coronavirus that emerge in the UK.
Prof Haas, head of infection medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said he believes there will probably be similar cases in “many other cities” in the UK.
He said the cases in Scotland emerged overnight, adding: “The situation will be pretty similar in pretty much all UK cities with a large number of Chinese students.
“It’s not too surprising. My suspicion is that there will probably be many more cases in many other cities in the UK.”