Concerns are mounting over the outbreak of an epidemic as Britain’s confirmed cases climbed to 23 yesterday. A cross-Whitehall “war room” of experts will be meeting this week to work out tactics to combat the virus. The Government said it will publish its “updated action plan” later this week in response to the outbreak.
The action plan, adapted for the coronavirus, is based on current plans for a pandemic flu outbreak.
Under current government contingency proposals, people could be urged to work from home if the outbreak worsens.
A minister in every government department will be focused on tackling the outbreak.
Extra meetings of Cobra, the Government’s emergency committee, are included in the plan.
Boris Johnson, who will chair a Cobra meeting on Monday, said: “Coronavirus may very well be a challenge in the weeks and months ahead.
“But I have no doubt that with the help of the NHS and its incomparable staff this country will get through it and beat it.”
A team of scientists and media experts will be drafted in to work on a public information campaign from a make-shift “war room” in the Cabinet Office.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the emergency “battle plan” includes banning big events, closing schools and dissuading people from using public transport.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr the plans were for the “worst-case scenario”.
Mr Hancock added the UK remained in the “containment” phase with the 23 confirmed cases.
Whitehall officials claim they will be working closely with with their counterparts to focus on managing the outbreak.
Doctors and nurses in the UK could also be redrafted back into the NHS as part of the the battle plan.
Newly-retired medical professionals may be asked to come back to work to help prevent coronavirus spreading.
The Scottish government claimed it is increasing tests for coronavirus to all people with flu-like symptoms.
This includes those who haven’t travelled to an affected area.
People aged over 60 are being advised to avoid crowded areas and public transport over coronavirus fears.
The World Health Organisation (WTO) made the warning in a press conference yesterday.
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10.30am update: UK cities could be shut down to prevent virus spreading
Health Secretary Matt Hancock conceded isolating UK cities, like China sis with Wuhan, may be necessary to stop the spread of the outbreak.
BBC’s Andrew Marr asked him: “China, of course, isolated entire cities. Is it conceivable under any circumstance, you try and cut off the city in this country?”
Mr Hancock replied: “There’s clearly a huge economic and social downside to that.
“But we don’t take anything off the table at this stage, because you’ve got to make sure that you have all the tools available, if that is what’s necessary.
“But I want to minimise the social and economic disruption.”
He claimed the Government will publish its battle plan for the steps it would take under a worst case scenario for the outbreak.
Mr Hancock said: “It may be necessary to close some schools, but right now, people should not be closing schools if there isn’t a positive case.”
The health Secretary confirmed other “population distancing measures” could be caried it.
One may include banning public gatherings of more than 5,000 people like the French government did yesterday.
Mr Hancock said: “We are looking at all those sorts of things, we do not rule them out.”
10.00am update: WHO chief says market panic over virus is uncalled for
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “Global markets should calm down and try to see the reality.
“We need to continue to be rational. Irrationality doesn’t help. We need to deal with the facts.”
His comments came after global stocks were battered in their worst week since the 2008 financial crisis.
Mr Ghebreyesus added: ““We need to go into the numbers, we need to go into the facts, and do the right thing instead of panicking.
“Panic and fear is the worst.”
09.30am update: Health Secretary Matt Hancock considering “all options” to tackle outbreak
Mr Hancock described the outbreak as being a “very, very significant challenge”.
He told Sky’s Sophie Ridge: “We are planning in case this gets much worse.”
The Health Secretary added: “It’s a balancing act, where I place the greatest weight on keeping people safe.
“But there’s no point in doing things that aren’t clinically effective. We have to be guided by the science.”
09.00am update: US, Australia and Thailand report first deaths from coronavirus
US officials said a man in his 50s has died in Washington State.
He was tested for the coronavirus on Thursday.
The authorities said they did not know how he had contracted the virus.
He did not have any history of travel to any of the affected areas, he also had no contact with known coronavirus cases.
A 78-year-old man who was on the Diamond Princess cruise ship died in a hospital in western Australia.
His wife has also contracted the virus.
In Thailand, a 35-year-old retail worker died from coronavirus.
According to the country’s department of disease control, he had also tested positive for dengue fever.
08.30am update: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s condition is getting “worse and worse”
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian woman detained in Iran, has been suffering “cold like symptoms”.
However, the Iranian authorities still refuse to test her for coronavirus.
Her Busband Richard told BBC Radio 5 that her said his wife’s guards were “keeping away” from her in case she has caught the disease.
He said her “cold like symptoms that have got worse and worse and they’re not going away”.
He added: “I’m sure the prison is not testing partly because there’s not many testing kits and partly because they don’t want to know”.