The coronavirus has spread across the world including to the UK after infecting thousands in China
(
REUTERS
)
The race is on to track down anyone who has been in close contact with two Chinese nationals who have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus while in the UK.
A specialist outbreak investigation team from Public Health England (PHE) is working to identify anyone who may be at risk from infection to try and prevent the virus spreading further within the UK population.
Close contact has been defined as anyone who has been within two metres of either of the two infected people for at least 15 minutes.
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The PHE team will follow the pair's movements and anyone who may be at risk will be told to self-isolate indoors for two weeks and avoid going to work or visiting public places and using public transport.
Anyone who becomes ill will be asked to call the NHS 111 helpline and could then be tested for the virus and if they test positive, officials will begin the process again to trace any contacts.
The coronavirus has now killed 259 people in China and spread to countries around the world.
Coronavirus in UK: Patients test positive and Brits arrive from Wuhan
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Coronavirus in UK: Patients test positive and Brits arrive from Wuhan
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Buses carrying British nationals travelling along the M6 motorway on their way to Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside
PA
2/28
A pedestrian wearing a surgical face mask walks outside the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where it is thought that two members of the same family who tested positive for novel coronavirus are being treated
AFP via Getty Images
3/28
Coaches transport the Britons and foreign nationals to Arrowe Park Hospital
Getty Images
4/28
A convoy of coaches carrying British nationals evacuated from Wuhan in China amid the coronavirus outbreak and medical personnel in a protective suit drive away from RAF Brize Norton
AFP via Getty
5/28
British Nationals arrive at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, after having flown in from Wuhan - the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus
Tom Maddick / SWNS
6/28
A police outrider heads a convoy of coaches carrying British nationals from the RAF station
AFP via Getty
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Passengers leave the plane
PA
8/28
Barriers are put up at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China
PA
9/28
Some of the eighty-three Britons and 27 foreign nationals who were trapped in Wuhan following a Coronavirus outbreak disembark a plane
Getty Images
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Getty Images
11/28
Ambulance at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
Tom Maddick / SWNS
12/28
The plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arriving
PA
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Buses and ambulances standing by for the passengers
PA
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Gaming consoles and toys being brought into the Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the RAF base
PA
15/28
The flight track of the aircraft
Flightradar24/PA
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On arrival, the UK passengers will be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral and quarantined for two weeks
Reuters
17/28
A student wearing a face mask walks close to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where two patients who have tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus are being treated by specialist medical workers
Getty Images
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A woman wearing a face mask passes a Public Health England sign at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
19/28
Ambulance crews arrive at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
20/28
The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne, where two patients who have tested positive for coronavirus in England
PA
21/28
A woman wears a face mask in Parliament Square in London as the first cases of the virus to be diagnosed in the UK were announced
PA
22/28
Passengers wear face masks after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty Images
23/28
A St John's Ambulance vehicle exits the Royal Air Force station
AFP via Getty
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A pedestrian wears a face mask as he walks near the Houses of Parliament
AFP via Getty Images
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Coaches arrives at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
26/28
Passengers wear face masks as they stand with their luggage at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
27/28
A man wears a face mask as he walks along the Thames embankment
AFP via Getty Images
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Passengers wear face masks at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
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Buses carrying British nationals travelling along the M6 motorway on their way to Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside
PA
2/28
A pedestrian wearing a surgical face mask walks outside the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where it is thought that two members of the same family who tested positive for novel coronavirus are being treated
AFP via Getty Images
3/28
Coaches transport the Britons and foreign nationals to Arrowe Park Hospital
Getty Images
4/28
A convoy of coaches carrying British nationals evacuated from Wuhan in China amid the coronavirus outbreak and medical personnel in a protective suit drive away from RAF Brize Norton
AFP via Getty
5/28
British Nationals arrive at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, after having flown in from Wuhan - the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus
Tom Maddick / SWNS
6/28
A police outrider heads a convoy of coaches carrying British nationals from the RAF station
AFP via Getty
7/28
Passengers leave the plane
PA
8/28
Barriers are put up at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China
PA
9/28
Some of the eighty-three Britons and 27 foreign nationals who were trapped in Wuhan following a Coronavirus outbreak disembark a plane
Getty Images
10/28
Getty Images
11/28
Ambulance at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
Tom Maddick / SWNS
12/28
The plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arriving
PA
13/28
Buses and ambulances standing by for the passengers
PA
14/28
Gaming consoles and toys being brought into the Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the RAF base
PA
15/28
The flight track of the aircraft
Flightradar24/PA
16/28
On arrival, the UK passengers will be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral and quarantined for two weeks
Reuters
17/28
A student wearing a face mask walks close to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where two patients who have tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus are being treated by specialist medical workers
Getty Images
18/28
A woman wearing a face mask passes a Public Health England sign at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
19/28
Ambulance crews arrive at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
20/28
The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne, where two patients who have tested positive for coronavirus in England
PA
21/28
A woman wears a face mask in Parliament Square in London as the first cases of the virus to be diagnosed in the UK were announced
PA
22/28
Passengers wear face masks after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty Images
23/28
A St John's Ambulance vehicle exits the Royal Air Force station
AFP via Getty
24/28
A pedestrian wears a face mask as he walks near the Houses of Parliament
AFP via Getty Images
25/28
Coaches arrives at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
26/28
Passengers wear face masks as they stand with their luggage at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
27/28
A man wears a face mask as he walks along the Thames embankment
AFP via Getty Images
28/28
Passengers wear face masks at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
A key challenge for the PHE specialists will be to find out whether the two infected Chinese citizens, who became ill while staying at a hotel in York, brought the virus to the UK from China or contracted it in the UK from another person.
It is thought the people infected with coronavirus can go on to infect as many as three other people on average.
A total of 83 UK citizens and 27 other people evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan were on Saturday beginning a two-week quarantine at accommodation at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral.
Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “It’s no surprise at all that we have cases in the UK. As the virus has now spread to remote parts of the world, it was inevitable.
“It’s really positive that the cases have been identified. That means they can be isolated, and the authorities can work to identify both the source and other people they have been in close contact with who may be harbouring the virus, to ensure they isolate themselves and don’t risk spreading infection.
“Although we don’t yet know whether the two relatives picked up the virus from overseas, we can expect further imported cases in the UK which may not be linked with this case, as the virus is now so widespread globally.”
Professor Sharon Peacock, director of the national infection service at PHE, said: “Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with the confirmed cases.
“Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after contact with the confirmed cases.”
PHE has said the risk to the UK population still remains low.
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