More Britons test positive for virus
Passengers to be treated at specialist NHS centres
UK: Four cruise ship passengers flown to England at the weekend have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the UK to 13.
They had been among a group of 30 British nationals and two Irish citizens who arrived at a quarantine block in Merseyside on Saturday.
FOUR CRUISE ship passengers flown to England at the weekend have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the UK to 13.
The four have been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres. They had been among a group of 30 British nationals and two Irish citizens who arrived at a quarantine block at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside on Saturday.
England’s chief medical officer last night said the virus was passed on in the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had been held for more than two weeks off the coast of Japan.
Professor Chris Whitty said: “Four further patients in England have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 13. The virus was passed on in the Diamond Princess cruise ship and the patients are being transferred from Arrowe Park to specialist NHS infection centres.”
The Department of Health said a “full infectious disease risk assessment” was done before Saturday’s
repatriation flight and that no-one who boarded the plane had displayed any symptoms of the virus.
Any more passengers who test positive will immediately be taken into specialist NHS care, the department said.
It added that “appropriate arrangements” are in place at Arrowe Park, including strict separation of passengers from staff and from each other.
It is understood some British
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty.
nationals who are part of the Diamond Princess crew opted to remain on the ship.
Almost one-fifth of the 3,711 passengers originally on board the cruise liner have been infected.
Japan’s health ministry announced on Sunday that one of the passengers taken to hospital after testing positive for the virus has died. The death of the Japa
The virus was passed on in the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
nese man aged in his 80s brings the number of fatalities from the Diamond Princess to three.
The development comes as 118 people were released from a coronavirus quarantine centre in Milton Keynes.
The group – who had been brought back to Britain earlier this month on a repatriation flight from Wuhan – spent 14 days at the Kents Hill Park training and conference centre.
They were allowed to leave on
Sunday, having all tested negative for the virus.
One of the group, which included around 10 children and a family of four, said it was a “fantastic” feeling to be able to go home.
Paul Walkinshaw, from Manchester, left with his wife Lihong, having been on holiday visiting her parents in the city of Shiyan for the Chinese New Year when family members contacted them and told them about the virus outbreak.
Speaking to reporters as he exited the centre, he said: “It feels fantastic to leave, although it feels weird not having to wear a mask and gloves in public.”
The training and conference centre has been cleaned and will be back to business as usual from next week, NHS England said.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock commended the evacuees “for their patience and perseverance”.