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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Chris Kitching

Fourth person in UK has coronavirus after catching deadly bug in France

A fourth person has tested positive for coronavirus in the UK after catching the disease in France, say health chiefs.

The patient was diagnosed after having contact with one of the three other people who are carrying the SARS-like virus.

He or she is being treated in isolation at the Royal Free Hospital in Camden, north London.

The person reported their symptoms and followed NHS advice by self-isolating rather than going to A&E and putting others at risk.

Have you been affected by coronavirus? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk.

The latest person to catch coronavirusi s being treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London (ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/REX)

In a bid to reassure the public, health chiefs say they are using "robust infection control measures" to prevent the flu-like disease from spreading to others.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England said: “A further patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus in England, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to four.

“The new case is a known contact of a previously confirmed UK case, and the virus was passed on in France.

World Health Organisation: how to protect from coronavirus

“Experts at Public Health England continue to work hard tracing patient contacts from the UK cases. They successfully identified this individual and ensured the appropriate support was provided.

“The patient has been transferred to a specialist NHS centre at The Royal Free Hospital, and we are now using robust infection control measures to prevent any possible further spread of the virus.

"The NHS is extremely well prepared to manage these cases and treat them, and we are working quickly to identify any further contacts the patient has had.

"This patient followed NHS advice by self-isolating rather than going to A&E. For the latest advice visit gov.uk/coronavirus.”

Britons disembark a repatriation flight from the coronavirus epicentre in China (Getty Images)

Of the four patients diagnosed in the UK, one of believed to be a middle-aged British man who caught the virus in Singapore last month, and the other two are Chinese nationals who were staying at a hotel in York.

One of the Chinese nationals was a student at the University of York and the other was a family member.

The British man was diagnosed after self-isolating at home and being taken to a Brighton hospital by arrangement. He was later taken to St Thomas's Hospital in London for treatment.

At least eight Britons have caught the virus - the man who had been in Singapore, five family members who were infected by that man at a ski chalet in the French Alps, a dad-of-two who lives in Majorca and had contact with an infected person in France, and Alan Steele, 58, who was diagnosed on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan.

More than 800 people have been killed by coronavirus, most of them in China, where the outbreak began in the city of Wuhan in December.

It is believed the virus was passed to animals at a market where live animals and illegal wildlife were being sold.

Meanwhile, the final repatriation flight carrying Britons from Wuhan landed at RAF Brize Norton on Sunday morning.

The 105 Britons will now spend two weeks in quarantine at a Milton Keynes hotel and conference centre.

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