UK coronavirus cases surge to 35
THE number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK leapt to 35 after 12 new patients were identified in England.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said three of the patients were close contacts of a known Covid-19 case that was transmitted within the UK – believed to be a Surrey resident.
Another new patient, from Essex, has no relevant travel to an affected area, Prof Whitty said. Investigations were ongoing as to whether the patient had contracted it “directly or indirectly” from an individual who had recently travelled abroad, he said.
Of the eight remaining cases, six had recently travelled from Italy, while two had been in Iran.
These patients are from London, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire.
One of the confirmed cases is in Bury, according to Bury Council, which said the patient had been taken to a specialist NHS infection centre.
Dr Will Welfare, interim deputy director of health protection for Public Health England North West, said: “The case is a resident of Bury and became infected whilst in
Italy. They are receiving care at an NHS specialist centre.”
Of the three cases in West Yorkshire, two are residents of Leeds who became infected in Iran, while one is from Bradford who had been in Italy.
According to the director of public health for Hertfordshire County Council, two of the cases confirmed yesterday are from the county. Jim McManus said: “These new cases of coronavirus are nothing unexpected. We fully anticipate an increase in numbers which is why our services have planned for, and are ready for, this situation.”
It follows another patient identified in Hertfordshire on Saturday.
All cases are being investigated and officials have begun tracing anyone who had close contact with them.
It comes after the Health Secretary conceded it was “inevitable” that the deadly virus would continue to spread across the UK. Matt Hancock did not rule out following China’s lead in shutting down cities if the outbreak escalates, as he outlined a “battle plan” by the Government yesterday.
On isolating entire cities, as Chinese authorities did with Wuhan, Mr Hancock told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme: “There is clearly a huge economic and social downside to that. But we don’t take anything off the table at this stage, because you have to make sure you have all the tools available if that is what is necessary.”
Emergency powers designed to restrict Covid-19 if it becomes endemic, due to be announced this week, would only be “temporary”, said Mr Hancock.
He said “population distancing measures”, such as banning gatherings and cancelling football matches, could be considered, while closing schools may be “necessary”.
Meanwhile, PM Boris Johnson paid a visit to Public Health England to discuss attempts to limit the spread of coronavirus.