FIVE BRITS ON SKI TRIP GET CORONAVIRUS

Boy, 9, is among those infected by carrier from Singapore

FIVE Brits staying at a French ski chalet were in quarantine last night after contracting coronavirus.

Medics fear they were infected by a UK passport holder who returned from Singapore on January 24.

The unnamed middle-aged man is thought to have come into contact with 10 other Brits in the Alpine resort of Les Contamines-Montjoie. All 11 are now in isolation in hospital.

It came as the death toll from the virus hit 724 worldwide – with 86 dying in China in a single day. More than 34,500 people are now affected.

A nine-year-old boy is among the victims in Les Contamines Montjoie. Sources said two other British children were under examination.

A health source in Paris said: “They were all in a chalet when some complained of feeling unwell. The 11 are in isolation in three hospitals. Five have the coronavirus, including a child.”

STABLE

Health Minister Agnès Buzyn said the patients were in a “stable condition” that showed “no sign of seriousness”.

The man who travelled from Singapore had been to an event at a Grand Hyatt hotel there. Back in Britain, he had flu-like symptoms and went to A&E in Brighton on February 1. He was sent to a specialist infectious diseases unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

In total, seven Brits have officially been diagnosed.

The other is honeymooner Alan Steele from Wolverhampton, who was among dozens diagnosed on the Diamond Princess cruise ship as it docked in Yokohama just south of Tokyo.

Two other cases confirmed in the UK are Chinese nationals – a University of York student and his mum. Last night the Government faced calls to freeze travel from China once the last batch of 150 British evacuees is airlifted from the outbreak epicentre of Wuhan today.

The virus appeared in the city’s seafood market in December. Video has emerged of feared victims being dragged from homes in Wuhan and taken to camps. It came as vice-premier Sun Chunlan called for a “people’s war” against the disease.

They were in a chalet when some complained of feeling unwell

PARIS HEALTH SOURCE ON BRITISH VIRUS VICTIMS