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Coronavirus news – live: All Britons now told to leave China as death toll tops 425 and more than 20,000 infected globally

Follow latest updates as evacuated British nationals undergo 14-day quarantine

Samuel Osborne
Tuesday 04 February 2020 13:45 GMT
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UK-wide Coronavirus information campaign launches

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All British nationals have been urged to leave China due to the coronavirus outbreak, as the epidemic claimed more than 420 lives and infected more than 20,000 people globally.

Meanwhile, British officials are continuing attempts to trace 239 people who flew to the UK from Wuhan, the city at the centre of the outbreak, before travel restrictions came into force.

Some 94 UK nationals have been evacuated from the city to Britain and are now undergoing 14 days in quarantine at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral.

Follow the latest updates

Passenger 'aboard same repatriation flight as UK citizens' tests positive for virus

A Belgian woman who has tested positive for coronavirus is reported to have been on the same French flight that brought back UK citizens from China on Sunday.

Belgium's health agency said the woman was one of nine Belgians on board the flight back to France, which carried passengers from 30 other countries.

Some 11 UK citizens and family members on the flight were then flown on to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Of these, 10 continued to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral for a 14-day period of isolation, while Anthony May-Smith was taken to hospital in Oxford to be tested for potential coronavirus.

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 16:46

Nearly 100 test negative for virus in 24 hours in UK 

Authorities have now tested 416 potential sufferers in the UK.

No new cases have been unearthed, leaving the number of people known to be infected at two.

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 17:02

The Independent's deputy head of travel, Helen Coffey, has more on the passenger who forced a plane to turn around by announcing he was infected with the coronavirus.

The WestJet service had been en route to Montego Bay, Jamaica, from Toronto, Canada, when the 29-year-old Canadian national announced he had the deadly virus.

“A male was causing a disturbance on the flight, saying he had been to China and had the coronavirus,” a police spokeswoman told Reuters.

Although the pilot believed it to be a hoax, he had no choice but to take the precaution of turning the aircraft around and heading back to Toronto. Read more detail here:

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 17:22

The University of York has confirmed a student who is being treated for coronavirus had a tenancy at private student accommodation in the city.

In a statement, it said the student was not in the Vita Student block when they came into contact with the virus but "did return to their room on one occasion and stayed overnight".

"During this brief period the student did not meet other residents or staff at the building, or make use of the communal facilities," a spokesperson told the PA news agency.

"[Public Health England] has confirmed that they do not need to undertake any contact tracing with residents of Vita Student."

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 17:43

World Health Organisation gives update and urges countries to improve data sharing on virus

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he had written to all health ministers urging them immediately to improve data-sharing on coronavirus and said he would send a team of international experts to work with Chinese counterparts.

So far 22 nations have officially reported trade or travel-related measures linked to the coronavirus, which Mr Ghebreyesus said should be "short in duration, proportionate" and reviewed regularly.

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 18:15

China's ambassador to the UN, Chen Xu, has urged countries "not to over-react" and told the World Health Orgainisation that some restrictions went against the UN agency's advice.

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 18:21

Simon Calder: What are the options for those leaving China?

Amid a growing coronavirus outbreak, the Foreign Office is now warning: “If you’re in China and able to leave, you should do so.

“The elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions may be at heightened risk.”

British citizens have plenty of options for leaving the People’s Republic.

The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder provides the key questions and answers here:

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 18:45

That's The Independent's live blog wrapping up for today, thanks for following here.

Andy Gregory4 February 2020 19:36

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