Mass testing to uncover UK spread of coronavirus
School closures and travel controls planned as fears grow over outbreak in Europe
THOUSANDS of Britons will be tested for coronavirus by GPS, amid fears that the explosion of cases in Europe means there could already be far more cases in this country than have been identified.
Mass surveillance will be introduced as Britain ramps up its response to the growing threat, with health planners considering school closures and transport restrictions if the danger spreads.
The virus has now killed more than 2,600 people and infected almost 80,000 others in more than 30 countries, including 11 countries in Europe.
Yesterday the number of cases in Italy rose by almost 100, with a total of 322 cases – up from just three on Friday – including 11 patients who have died.
Switzerland, Croatia and Austria all confirmed their first cases, while 1,000 holidaymakers staying at a hotel in Tenerife were under lockdown after an Italian doctor who stayed there tested positive for the virus.
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said he was “pretty worried” about the outbreaks, and suggested he would be reluctant to visit affected parts of Italy.
Last night the Government changed its advice to people travelling to the country, cautioning against all but essential travel to the 11 Italian towns in lockdown.
So far just nine patients in the UK have tested positive for the virus.
However, amid concerns that it may now be more prevalent in the UK, Public Health England yesterday announced it would begin a “surveillance” system under which 600 patients a week would be tested for the virus. The scheme, involving around 100 GP surgeries and 11 hospitals, aims to ensure that sufferers are identified even if they show few symptoms, and have never travelled to “high-risk” countries.
Health officials said it would “not be wholly unexpected” if the tests found new groups of connected cases.
In addition to the tests, England’s chief medical officer last night said health planners were “exploring all the options” as they drew up contingency plans to respond to the spread.
Prof Chris Whitty said the Government could order school closures, but added that no such “blanket recommendation” was currently being made.
At least 12 schools have closed or sent groups of children home after they returned from ski trips to affected parts of Italy.
Prof Whitty also said restrictions on the use of public transport could be introduced if the threat to the UK rises, and that entire families might be quarantined if one member was infected.
Health officials are modelling the impact of the virus on the NHS, amid concern that a major outbreak could result in more than half the population falling ill, including healthcare staff.
Prof Whitty said: “There’s no secret there’s a variety of things you need to look at. You look at things like school closures, you look at things like reducing transport. The expectation is not that we will do all these things, the expectation is we will be looking systematically, using science, at all the building blocks and balancing the
effects against costs to society.” Part of Britain’s precautions against the virus has involved setting up “isolation pods” at every major hospital in an attempt to keep suspected sufferers away from other patients and staff.
But yesterday the efforts were mocked when images of a makeshift tent outside Lincoln County Hospital emerged. The tent, which was next to a row of bins, had a phone, a blanket and a plastic chair for patients but no heating or running water.
A hospital visitor said the tent looked “like something that Bear Grylls would keep in his backpack”.
NHS England insisted no patients would receive treatment in the “pod” and that it would be replaced later this week.
Scotland’s chief medical officer has warned that mass gatherings could be banned and health ministers in Ireland said they would be calling for the cancellation of the Six Nations rugby match due to take place between Ireland and Italy in Dublin this weekend, saying that going ahead would constitute a “significant risk” to the public.
Meanwhile, Jon Snow, the Channel 4 news presenter has announced that he is in precautionary self-isolation after visiting Iran to cover the country’s election.
Snow’s producer and cameraman are also self-isolating, although none has shown symptoms. Snow said he was “not really supposed to congregate with any crowds or go anywhere where there may be people”. He added: “So that means I’m sitting at home. To be honest, the absolute enormity of the prospect of 14 days hasn’t really hit me.”
Iran, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma were yesterday also added to the list of “high-risk” countries.
Prof Whitty said that if the virus could not be contained, delaying the peak of the epidemic until winter was over would be a “very big win”, given current levels of pressure on the health service.
He said the speed with which outbreaks were spreading meant any treatment would have to involve repurposing existing licensed drugs. Last night, health officials banned the parallel export of two antiviral medicines which are currently being tested to treat coronavirus, in a bid to ensure that supplies are available.
The ban means that the medicines – currently used to treat HIV and malaria – cannot be sold by firms in countries that will pay more for them.
Yesterday the US health secretary said the country had stockpiled 30 million surgical masks, when 300million masks might be needed.
The Trump administration is seeking approval from Senate for $2.5billion (£1.92 billion) extra funding, as health officials said: “We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad.”