The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential travel to Wuhan city in China’s Hubei Province following the outbreak of a deadly novel coronavirus.
Public Health England (PHE) said the risk to travellers to Wuhan is moderate, but there has been evidence that the virus, which causes breathing difficulties, can be transmitted from human to human.
In addition to the warning, health officials have implemented enhanced screenings on passengers arriving on flights directly from Wuhan, of which there are three per week at Heathrow airport. A Port Health team will be checking passengers for symptoms of the virus as well as providing information about the warning signs of infection and what to do if they become ill.
However, Chinese authorities have placed Wuhan on lockdown ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, suspending planes and trains into and out of the city, as well as buses, subways and ferries. Similar measures are being put into effect in nearby Huanggang.
It is believed the coronavirus originated in a seafood market in Wuhan that reportedly conducted illegal transactions of wild animals. There are more than 500 confirmed cases in China, Hong Kong, Macau, the US, Thailand, Korea, Japan and Taiwan, with 17 deaths reported in China. Many of the victims were elderly and suffered from other chronic conditions, according to China’s National Health Commission.
PHE said the risk to the UK population has been assessed as low, though this has been elevated from very low after evidence showed there was a chance the virus can be imported into the country.
Dr Nick Phin, deputy director of the National Infection Service at PHE, commented: “This is a new and rapidly evolving situation where information on cases and the virus is being gathered and assessed daily… The risk to visitors to Wuhan is moderate, reflecting an increase in the number of cases being identified in China and evidence that the virus has limited spread from person to person.
“If you are travelling to the area, you should maintain good hand, respiratory and personal hygiene and should avoid visiting animal and bird markets or people who are ill with respiratory symptoms. Individuals should seek medical attention if they develop respiratory symptoms within 14 days of visiting Wuhan, either in China or on their return to the UK. They should phone ahead before attending any health services and mention their recent travel to the city.”
The illness is bringing back memories of the Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak of the early 2000s in which 800 people around the world died. Sars is also a coronavirus, as is the common cold.
The WHO has decided it will not yet declare a “global emergency” over the new strain of coronavirus, with experts due to meet again today to discuss updated information.