European Union calls emergency talks on coronavirus

Brussels, Belgium - The EU will host an extraordinary meeting of health ministers on Thursday, along with a WHO envoy, to discuss the novel coronavirus outbreak.

So far, only around 30 cases of the new strain have been detected in Europe, but the World Health Organisation warns that cases outside China could accelerate.

“Now is the time to join forces to stop this epidemic,” said European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic. The EU ministers will discuss ways to prevent the virus’ spread and ‘adopt conclusions in relation to the EU response to the novel coronavirus outbreak’.

Last week, German Health Minister Jens Spahn suggested at a meeting with his French counterpart Agnes Buzyn that Europe impose restrictions on travellers from China.

The US has already banned the arrival of foreign nationals who have visited China recently. But for any such measure to be imposed in Europe the 27 EU members would have to coordinate the decision, since most of them are in the Schengen passport-free travel area.

Meanwhile, the British government warned the outbreak of coronavirus is a ‘serious and imminent threat’ and reported four new cases that brought the total recorded in the country to eight. Anyone with the virus can now be forcibly quarantined and sent into isolation if they are deemed to pose a public health threat, the government said. Two hospitals have been designated as ‘isolation’ facilities, with both currently housing Britons who have returned from Wuhan. ‘The incidence or transmission of novel coronavirus constitutes a serious and imminent threat to public health’, the Health Ministry warned.

The Press Association news agency quoted a source as saying the new measures were announced because one person who returned from China on an evacuation flight ‘was threatening to abscond’ from 14-day isolation.