Coronavirus: Health hub set up in Heathrow as government works to prevent risk to Brits, Priti Patel says

Jacob Jarvis26 January 2020

Home secretary Priti Patel has said Public Health England has a hub in Heathrow as the government works to negate the risk of the coronavirus to Britons.

Ms Patel said the government is doing "its utmost" to protect British citizens while she also reiterated that there had been no confirmed cases of the virus in Britain.

"There have been flights to and from China, Public Health England have their own hub at Heathrow Airport," she told Sky.

"This is a fast moving situation."

Heathrow airport is monitoring arrivals amid the virus risk
PA

Amid reports that citizens in the region of Wuhan, where the new coronavirus is believed to have originated, could be airlifted Ms Patel said the government was weighing up "all options".

She would not confirm any concrete plans.

“It is right that we look at all options and that’s exactly what the Government is doing right now,” she told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme.

Coronavirus - In pictures

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Reports suggested the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has ordered officials to examine the logistics for an airlift from the city.

Britons trapped in the Chinese province at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak have been urged to leave the area if they are able to do so.

The Foreign Office updated its guidance to “advise against all travel to Hubei province”, which has been on lockdown for several days as China seeks to contain the illness.

The guidance also added: “If you are in this area and able to leave, you should do so. This is due to the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak.”

As of Saturday afternoon, 31 people across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland had been tested for the deadly flu-like virus, but all tests have come back negative, according to the Department of Health.

In China, 56 people have died as a result of the virus.

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