They also admitted the country is now at the “most critical stage” of prevention and control.
So far, there have been 440 confirmed cases and nine people have died.
Most cases have been in Wuhan and Chinese authorities believe the virus originated from a seafood market that “conducted illegal transactions of wild animals”.
Public Health England said the risk to the UK population was “very low” while the risk to travelers to Wuhan was “low”.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told BBC Radio 5live that Health Secretary Matt Hancock would be announcing a package of precautionary measures later.
“The flights that come in from the affected region will now be given extra attention,” Mr Shapps said.
According to a government source, the “port measures” will include:
A health team to meet each direct flight from Wuhan to London Heathrow
Passengers on flights will hear an announcement and be given a leaflet to encourage them to report if they are ill
Aircraft will land in an isolated area of Heathrow Terminal 4 that “better lends itself to any health contingencies”
China – which is stepping up containment measures – has still not been able to confirm the exact source of the virus.
But the country National Health Commission vice-minister Li Bin said there was evidence that the disease was “mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract “.
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