Coronavirus spread: Three more cases in England – Sky News, Sky.com
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Three more patients in England have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of UK cases to .
Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said two of the patients had recently traveled back from Italy while the other had returned from Asia.
The cases are from Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Berkshire.
Prof Whitty said: “All three are being investigated and contact tracing has begun.”
It comes amid reports the government is to use a COBRA meeting on Monday , to agree emergency powers to ensure COVID – – the disease caused by the coronavirus – does not get out of control.
Schools, councils and other institutions would be able to suspend some laws to cope with a pandemic.
The measures could also include allowing teachers and nursery workers to have larger classes to cope with staff absences.
coronavirus .
All the other UK cases had all been infected abroad.
“Contact tracing” has started on the patient.
Prof Whitty said it was not clear whether the person had contracted it “directly or indirectly” from someone who had recently returned from abroad.
The patient, who lives in Surrey, has been taken to a specialist center at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in London.
Haslemere Health Center in Surrey was closed yesterday, with a statement on its website saying: “The surgery is temporarily closed today to enable a clean of the surgery as a routine precautionary measure. “
The surgery has since re-opened.
Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, said it marked a “new chapter” as there was “no known link to an affected area or known case”.
“It will be crucial to understand where the infection came from to try to prevent more extensive spread, “he said.
He warned the virus” can easily go under the radar “because its symptoms are very similar to a cold or mild flu.
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