UK coronavirus latest: Cancer medic confirmed as among latest Brits diagnosed with Covid-19

Tim Baker2 March 2020

One of the latest people in the UK infected with the coronavirus is a clinician at a cancer treatment facility in Hertfordshire, it has been confirmed.

Over the weekend the number of cases in the UK spiked to 36, up from 23, including the first diagnosis in Scotland.

Boris Johnson is holding a COBRA meeting on Monday to discuss the country’s strategy for dealing with Covid-19.

Around 89,000 people worldwide have been confirmed to have the coronavirus, and it has now claimed more than 3,000 lives.

The number of people getting infected has matched rising cases in Italy, Iran, South Korea, France and Germany.

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The medic is one of two peolpe confirmed with the coronavirus in Hertfordshire, although there is no indication the second person works at the medical facility.

A statement from the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust: “All individuals who were in contact with the clinician have been identified and the appropriate measures taken.

“The risk to patients and staff at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre is very low and we are working with individual patients to appropriately manage their care.”

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be taking part in the COBRA meeting following the confirmation of a case in her country.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that it was “inevitable” the disease would continue to spread following the diagnosis of 12 people in England on Sunday.

He added that he could not rule out shutting down cities to curb the spread of the virus.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be part of the COBRA meeting (Reuters)
REUTERS

Mr Johnson - who was slated for waiting until Monday to host COBRA - is set to lay out the next step for the country.

The Prime Minister will tell the meeting: “The number of coronavirus cases around the world is rising every day – and the UK is no exception.

“There now seems little doubt that it will present a significant challenge for our country.

“But we are well prepared, and the Government and the NHS will stop at nothing to fight this virus.”

It will be attended by senior ministers as well as chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, as they ratify the Government’s proposed countermeasures.

First Minister Sturgeon is also expected to take part after a Tayside resident – who had recently travelled from Italy – was diagnosed with the virus.

Boris Johnson will be hosting COBRA today
Getty Images

Three of the latest cases are family members of a man from Surrey who tested positive on Friday. He had no recent travel history and is the first person to contract Covid-19 within the UK.

All four are adults, including one more from Surrey and two from West Sussex.

Prof Whitty said another new patient, from Essex, had not recently travelled to an infected area.

He added investigations were ongoing as to whether the patient had contracted it “directly or indirectly” from someone who had recently travelled abroad.

Another case is a person from Bury, Greater Manchester, who was infected in Italy and has now been taken to a specialist NHS infection centre.

Three cases were confirmed in West Yorkshire, including two Leeds residents – who became infected in Iran – while one is from Bradford who had been in Italy.

One other case is from London and the other is from Gloucestershire and linked to a member of staff at a Tetbury school in the Cotswolds, who was identified on Saturday.

Debra Lapthorne, centre director for Public Health England (PHE) South West, said: “The two cases are linked and both became infected whilst in Northern Italy.

“Staff from PHE have continued to support St Mary’s Primary School, Tetbury, where one of the cases works.”

In a letter to parents, headteacher Mrs Jo Woolley said that while it was not necessary to close the school from a health perspective, it will close until at least Wednesday due to “operational difficulties” with staff members.

A staff member at an infant school in Berkshire was confirmed to have tested positive on Saturday.

In an email, Willow Bank Infant School headteacher Michelle Masters urged parents to “remain calm and follow the recommended hygiene procedures”.

On Sunday, the Department of Health and Social Care announced every department will have a ministerial lead on the virus, and a cross-Whitehall “war room” is being set up to roll out an enhanced public information campaign.

Emergency powers designed to restrict Covid-19 if it becomes endemic, due to be announced this week, would only be “temporary”, said Mr Hancock.

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He confirmed that “population distancing measures”, such as banning public gatherings and cancelling football matches, could be considered by the Government, while closing schools may be “necessary”.

The Foreign Office confirmed that non-essential staff, as well as dependants, are to be pulled out of the British Embassy in Tehran.

The Republic of Ireland reported its first case on Saturday, with a secondary school to be closed for 14 days after authorities identified its pupils and teachers as having been in contact with the male patient.

Globally, the number of people killed worldwide by the virus exceeds 3,000 and there have been almost 90,000 confirmed cases.

While most patients only have mild symptoms, Covid-19 appears to be much more deadly than seasonal flu.

In Italy, which has the most cases in Europe, the number of infections doubled in 48 hours over the weekend.

Italy now has 1,694 confirmed cases and has seen 34 deaths.

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