Coronavirus: Four new UK cases among ship evacuees

Four cruise ship passengers flown to Britain on Saturday have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 13.

They were among 30 repatriated Britons and two Irish citizens beginning a 14-day quarantine at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral.

The four UK nationals caught the virus on the Diamond Princess liner in Japan, England’s chief medical officer said.

They have now been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres.

The Department of Health said a “full infectious disease risk assessment” was done before Saturday’s repatriation flight from Japan, adding that no-one who boarded the flight had displayed any symptoms of the virus.

Any more passengers who test positive will immediately be taken into specialist NHS care, the department said.

It added that “appropriate arrangements” are in place at Arrowe Park, including strict separation of passengers from staff and from each other.

It comes as 118 UK citizens and their family members rescued from Wuhan – the centre of the virus outbreak – ended their two-week isolation in Milton Keynes on Sunday. Read more…..