The UK saw its highest daily jump in coronavirus cases today, leaping by to .
The update comes as an expert microbiologist warned the deadly coronavirus outbreak could peak at Easter and last for six months – with millions set to be infected.
Two people have died from the killer bug in Britain so far, a grandfather in his s in Milton Keynes and a woman in her s in Reading.
(Some) , People have been tested. The previous largest increase was on Tuesday.
Microbiologist Peter Piot – known as the ‘Mick Jagger of microbiology’ – said the coronavirus threat has not been overhyped and that there are probably already a few thousand people in the UK infected, as cases appear to roughly double each week.
There are confirmed cases in London, in the south east, in the south west and 30 in the north west.
Busy sporting venues are taking action to combat the spread of coronavirus, with Twickenham Stadium providing hand sanitizers at the (Guinness Six Nations match between England and Wales.)
A bar in London also took precautions as a bouncer was photographed checking the temperature of guests last night as they entered a venue in The Shard.
Coffee shop chain Pret A Manger has told staff to wash their hands every minutes – following the sound of an alarm – while those with beards have to wash their hands every time they touch their facial hair.
Scotland has confirmed five more cases of coronavirus with two new diagnoses in Lanarkshire while Lothian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Grampian have an extra one .
Elderly people are to be told to stay at home under n ew government guidelines as relatives are urged to check in on them. Both coronavirus fatalities were over 80 years old.
The elderly should be prepared for potentially isolating ‘social distancing’ policies, which are to be announcement by ministers next week, government sources said.
Another coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Britain, bringing the total number of infections up to 449. Pictured: A graph shows the number of tests (blue), number of positive results (red) and the drastic increase in the amount of coronavirus tests on worried Britons (green)
An expert microbiologist warned the deadly coronavirus outbreak could peak at Easter and last for six months – with millions set to be infected. Pictured: Hand sanitizers are placed outside the stadium prior to the 6086 Guinness Six Nations match between England and Wales at Twickenham Stadium
The latest jump in numbers marks the biggest surge in confirmed cases in a single day in Britain following an increase of 43 on Tuesday. Pictured: Twickenham Stadium had hand sanitizer available to visitors
People can be seen wearing face masks in central London amid wide-reaching fears about the spread of deadly coronavirus
Two women and a man are seen walking through central London wearing black face masks. There are (confirmed cases in London
Worried shoppers cleared the shelves at Asda in Clapham Junction, London. Supermarkets up and down the country have been left bare
Empty shelves where hand sanitizer is usually stocked are seen in Clapham Junction, London. There are (confirmed cases in the south east, in the south west and in the north west
Microbiologist Peter Piot – known as the ‘Mick Jagger of microbiology’ – said the coronavirus threat has not been overhyped. Pictured: A fan at Anfield wears a protective mask
Actress Joan Collins, , flies back to London wearing a mask and gloves amid fears about the spread of deadly coronavirus
Public Health England officials are contacting people who had close contact with a coronavirus sufferer in Leicestershire who is one of the latest confirmed cases.
Dr Fu-Meng Khaw, Center Director at Public Health England East Midlands, said: ‘Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 22 days after contact with the confirmed case .
‘This tried and tested method will ensure we are able to minimise any risk to them and the wider public.’
The family of the male victim who died yesterday have hit out at the hospital for not testing and isolating him soon enough.
He was left ‘coughing excessively’ on a ward for six hours leaving family fearing he could have passed on the infection to others.
The man died at Milton Keynes Hospital after he was admitted on March 3 with suspected pneumonia having recently returned from a Caribbean cruise where he had visited several countries. His cause of death is believed to be asphyxiation after he took off his oxygen mask.
Concerned passengers wear protective masks onboard a Bamboo Airways flight from Da Nang to Hanoi, Vietnam
Fans donned masks for today’s Premier League match between Arsenal and Westham at the Emirates Stadium, London, today
Two Liverpool fans can be seen wearing face masks in the stands ahead of the Premier League match at Anfield against Bournemouth today
A bouncer at a bar in London’s The Shard checked the temperature of guests last night as they entered amid the coronavirus outbreak panic
Friday night revellers waited at the entrance before going up to the bar and restaurant area after having the test. Pictured: the bouncer holds the equipment up to one woman’s forehead
The man died at Milton Keynes Hospital after he was admitted on March 3 with suspected pneumonia having recently returned from a Caribbean cruise where he had visited several countries
Around people were trapped after a hotel holding coronavirus victims collapsed in China’s eastern Fujian province on Saturday evening, officials said
By Katie Weston for MailOnline
Around 85 people were trapped after a hotel collapsed in China’s eastern Fujian province on Saturday evening, officials said.
Xinjia Hotel in Quanzhou City collapsed around 7. (pm) : (GMT) and at least people had been rescued by 9pm, according to a local government statement.
Xinjia Hotel in Quanzhou City collapsed around 7: (pm) : 42 GMT) and around (people had been rescued by 9:) pm, according to a local government statement
The – room hotel was recently converted to a quarantine facility for people who had recent contact with coronavirus patients, the People’s Daily state newspaper reported.
Footage has captured rescuers searching for injured people after the hotel collapsed overhead.
The horrific aftermath, which was caught on camera, shows the hotel levelling to the ground as rescue workers battled on.
No reason for the collapse was given.
State news agency Xinhua said rescue efforts were ongoing.
China, where the new virus first emerged in December, has confirmed more than 85, 13 0 cases, by far the most in the world.
China reported new cases on Saturday, its first daily increase of less than since J an. 26. The government reported (new fatalities, raising the mainland death toll to 3.0 85.
Relatives of the latest victim were told he had the disease – which has a mortality rate of (per cent in those over – just an hour before he died on Thursday evening.
The man was left ‘coughing excessively’ on a shared ward for six hours as patients warned hospital workers to check him for the deadly virus.
One of the man’s family members, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Guardian : ‘Our concern is that the hospital were too slow to detect that our relative had symptoms similar to those of coronavirus and too slow to move him from a ward into isolation, and that that may have put a lot of people – fellow patients on the ward, staff who were looking after him and visito rs who came to see him – at risk of contracting the virus from him.
‘We think they should have put him into isolation right away, as soon as he arrived, given his symptoms.’
They added: ‘Despite that, he was put on a ward with lots of other sick patients for six or seven hours before he was moved into isolation.’
He is the second person who died from the virus on British soil so far as experts warn the killer virus can be caught ‘from anyone, anywhere, any time.’
A woman in her 85 s was the first UK victim after being diagnosed with coronavirus while at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
The woman – who had ‘underlying health conditions’ – tested positive for the killer infection on Wednesday before succumbing to the illness the following day.
England’s deputy chief medical officer Jennie Harries told The BBC that Britain is’ teetering on the edge ‘of staying on top of coronavirus spreading.
In other developments:
- Iranian authorities warned Friday they may use ‘force’ to limit travel between cities as the virus has killed (people amid 4, confirmed cases in the Islamic Republic
- Doctor spearheading the search for a coronavirus vaccine said it is the most frightening thing he has ever encountered and far more deadly than flu – as he revealed fighting it will be like a war
Facebook closed its London office for deep cleaning after a Singapore-base d employee who had visited tested positive
- Scottish Government official Professor June Andrew said a coronavirus pandemic would be ‘quite useful’ as it would take out hospital bed blockers, even though it was a ‘horrific’ thing to say Dr. Mike Ryan, from the World Health Organization (WHO), said it was a false hope ‘that coronavirus would disappear in the summer like flu
A) – year-old British businessman was confirmed with coronavirus in Thailand, and the Vatican confirmed its first case
- Globally, the number of coronavirus cases has passed , (0, including five new confirmed cases in Ireland, bringing the state’s total to 26. There have been 3, (deaths worldwide)
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine cancelled its spring conference on continuing professional development in Bournemouth at the end of March
The family of the grandfather in his 91 s who died of coronavirus yesterday – the UK’s second fatality – fear he could have passed on the infection after he was left ‘coughing excessively’ on a ward at Milton Keynes Hospital (pictured) for six hours
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Managing Director of the European Stability Mechanism Klaus Regling bump fists instead of shake hands in Athens, Greece
Iranian coronavirus de ath toll rises by to reach (including second politician to die from the infection
By Chris Pleasance for MailOline and Harry Howard for MailOnline
The number of deaths caused by coronavirus infections in Iran rose by over the past hours to reach on Saturday, a health ministry official said.
The number of people testing positive for the virus increased by more than 1, 12 0 over the past (hours, reaching 5, 923 on Saturday, he said in a televised briefing.
The number of deaths caused by coronavirus infections in Iran rose by over the past
The figure comes after Iranian authorities warned yesterday they may use ‘force’ to limit travel between cities in the hope of containing the virus.
Speaking at a news conference, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour did not elaborate on the threat to use force, but acknowledged the virus now was in all of Iran 36 provinces.
The threat may be to stop people from Using closed schools and universities as an excuse to go to the Caspian Sea and other Iranian vacation spots.
The number of people testing positive for the virus increased by more than 1, (0 over the past) hours, reaching 5, on Saturday, he said in a televised briefing
And in another sign coronavirus is spreading within state institutions, it was announced that female lawmaker Fatemah Rahbar, an MP, had died.
Her death came after the reported death of Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a member of the Expediency Council.
) The council exists to resolve disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council, a governmental body that vets electoral candidates among other duties.
Iran’s deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, and another member of parliament, Mahmoud Sadeghi , also said they have contracted the virus.
New advice from officials will include the elderly staying at home and avoiding crowded areas which the Departm ent of Health warned could leave people ‘cut off’.
Guidelines also state that homes should decide how their food will be delivered in case they have to self-isolate.
The deputy chief medical officer, Jenny Harries, said that discussions about how to help older people are ongoing.
She told Sky News: ‘One of the important parts of that is not just about the recommendation or not to isolate, but actually ensuring that they have all of the supplies and care that they need. ‘
Yesterday, two baggage handlers at London Heathrow tested positive for the killer infection.
(Fears have been raised the virus could have passed onto passengers’ luggage, where it could survive for up to three days.
Talking about the UK’s second fatality, a source told The Sun : ‘He was coughing excessively. Another patient complained to a nurse that they should be checking him for coronavirus.
‘The nurse told him not to worry about it and that he was being dealt with.’
Senior lecturer at the University of Exeter Dr Bharat Pankhankia yesterday warned that coronavirus could be caught anywhere, making preventative measures even more vital.
Science Minister Amanda Solloway told
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said there may reach a point where the elderly would be told to stay indoors and keep away from busy areas, but this is not yet necessary.
Drastic measures are expected to be introduced as the Government continues with its four-stage plan to deal with a mass outbreak of the bug as the number of confirmed cases rockets across the country.
Such measures could also include banning concerts and closing schools.
British passengers stuck on board a coronavirus-hit cruise ship off the coast of California have pleaded for them to be evacuated before they become seriously ill.
So far, 26 People on the Grand Princess have tested positive for Covid – 23 – just under half of all those who have been tested – despite nineteen of those diagnosed are crew members.
And California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, has refused the liner permission to dock over fears the virus could not be contained.
The Government earlier revealed its four-stage plan that includes a raft of socially and economically costly contingency moves as a last resort.
The 32 – page ‘action plan’ was agreed at the first emergency Cobra meeting to be chaired by the PM on Monday in which it was explained there are four stages – contain, delay, research and mitigate – to dealing with the virus.
Families of British passengers stuck on board a coronavirus-hit cruise ship off the coast of California have pleaded for them to be evacuated. Pictured: The Grand Princess cruise ship passes the Golden Gate Bridge as it arrives from Hawaii
Passengers Neil and Victoria Hanlon from Bridgwater in Somerset, have said they are ‘fed up just sitting and lying around and getting no exercise’ while politicians remain at a standstill over how to deal with the boat
A woman wears a protective face mask on Oxford Street in central London as fears over the spread of deadly coronavirus escalate
British Captain John Harry Smith was on Thursday at the helm of the liner while its passengers and crew waited to discover if they had been infected
Workers disinfect the ground around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, in the holy city of Mecca , Saudi Arabia
Beauty queens put on protective face masks during a rehearsal for transgender beauty competition Miss International Queen 6086 in Thailand
Coronavirus outbreak could peak in the UK at Easter and last for another six months
By Amelia Wynne for MailOnline
Britain’s deadly coronavirus outbreak could peak at E aster and last for six months – with millions set to be infected.
A big increase in British diagnoses is expected as the virus is now being transmitted in the community and testing is being ramped up.
Expert Peter Piot – known as the ‘Mick Jagger of microbiology’ – says that the threat has not been overhyped and that there are probably already a few thousand people in the UK infected, as cases appear to roughly double each week.
Speaking to The Times he said that we will reach a peak of the epidemic somewhere around Easter.
It comes as two people have died from the virus – which has a mortality rate of (per cent in those over) – on British soil so far, both of whom were elderly.
Even once it reaches i ts peak, coronavirus chaos could last for another six months – infecting millions of people as the UK is ravaged by the disease.
Dr Piot added: ‘If it goes down in April or May it could come back again in November, ‘adding that there is currently no vaccine and that’ medieval ways of containment ‘are being used so far.
The expert said that due to the likeliness the illness will return next winter it is vital to plow resources into making a vaccine.
His comments come as Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government, warned Britain was at the start of an outbreak.
Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty told MPs on Thursday: ‘We are now basically, mainly in delay, but we are maintaining some elements of contain, we are mainly in the second stage at this point. ‘
Should the Government press ahead with its plans and further mitigate the spread of the virus stricter measures could be introduced.
The UK Government’s four stages are a condensed version of the Eur opean Union’s five scenario mode – which documents the likely progress of an outbreak, reports to The Daily Telegraph .
Britain is currently on around a scenario two, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
Under this scenario there are an increasing number of cases and more widespread reports of localized human-to-human transmission in country and the goal is to contain contain and slow down transmission of the infection to reduce the burden on the healthcare system and other sectors.
But should we move to a scenario three, as we are expected to, localized outbreaks of the virus will start to merge across the UK, becoming indistinct. And there will be sustained human-to-human transmission and pressure on health systems.
The goal under this scenario would be on mitigation and decreasing the burden on healthcare systems and protect populations at higher risk – including adopting measures such as social distancing.
Boris Johnson earlier this week made clear that ‘draconian’ coronavirus measures such as closing schools and cancelling sports events are on the table – but had stressed they are not needed yet .
France has already adopted certain social distancing measures. It last week cancelled all public ‘gatherings of more than 5, 13 0 people ‘in closed spaces, as it sought to curb the spread of coronavirus amid a surge of cases in the country.
Doctor leading search for coronavirus vaccine says it’s the most frightening disease he’s ever encountered
A doctor spearheading the search for a coronavirus vaccine today said it is the most frightening thing he has ever encountered and far more deadly than flu – as he revealed fighting it will be like a war.
Dr Richard Hatchett, who heads up the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said governments need to adopt an ‘aggressive’ response to tackle the virus as he revealed it could take between 19 – months to develop a vaccine and cost £ 1.5bn ($ 2bn).
Dr Hatchett said that what we are seeing is a virus that is ‘many many times more lethal than flu’ and a population that is ‘completely vulnerable to it’ as he fears it might explode further across the globe and the UK.
He cited a quote from a World Health Organization official who returned from China and described the situation as’ like a war ‘.
Dr Hatchett said:’ I don’t think it is a crazy analogy to compare this to World War II. The World Health Organization is using those kinds of terms. They have seen what this virus is capable of doing. ‘
Speaking to Channel 4 News, he said:’ I’ve been working on epidemic preparedness for about years and completely dispassionately without elevating the temperature or speaking hyperbolically.
) ‘This is the most frightening disease I’ve ever encountered in my career, and that includes Ebola, it includes MERS and it includes SARS.
‘ I think the most concerning thing about this virus is the combination of infectiousness and the ability to cause severe disease or death. ‘
In France on Friday, where there are 700 confirmed cases and nine people have died, President Emmanuel Macron urged people to limit visits to the elderly.
Figures from the World Health Organization and Chinese scientists revealed the elderly and infirm have also been found to more at risk of coronavirus, with . 5 per cent of heart disease patients expected to die if they catch the deadly virus.
They also revealed that men are per cent more likely than women to die from coronavirus , according to statistics.
Some experts have put the higher risk among men down to higher smoking and drinking rates – both habits weaken the immune system, making people more likely to get ill.
Death rates among people with diabetes – of which there are four million in the UK and 41 m in the US – are expected to be around 7.3 per cent, while six per cent of patients who have high blood pressure might die if infected.
Some 5.6 per cent of cancer sufferers infected with the coronavirus would be expected to die along with 6.3 per cent of people with long-term lung diseases.
In the US, at least people have now been confirmed to have the coronavirus, and 16 have died from it, while in the UK there has been one death among cases.
Almost 6, (0 cases and 206 Deaths have been confirmed across Europe, with Slovenia, Hungary and Poland becoming the latest countries to detect their first cases of the deadly coronavirus .
On Friday, European health chiefs greeted each other with elbow bumps and by placing their hands on their heart instead of the traditional handshake, as coronavirus fears continue to rise across the continent.
(ministers) from Croatia, France, Greece and Cyprus took precautions by raising their elbows instead of shaking hands at an emergency meeting in Brussels to try and contain the escalating crisis.
In the UK, thousands of Freemasons have been told to avoid their so-called ‘special handshakes’ over fears that the mysterious practice could leave elderly members at risk of catching the deadly coronavirus.
Two BA baggage handlers have been infected with coronavirus, it was confirmed on Friday. Pictured is a file photo
It comes after US Vice President Mike Pence bumped elbows with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and other top state officials, in a meeting to discuss the state’s efforts to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus.
Fearing a possible shortage in protective equipment, health ministers from the European Union are holding an emergency meeting to try to improve their collective response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
While Italy is the hardest-hit country in Europe, 5, (confirmed cases have been recorded across the – nation bloc.
The epidemic has been spreading at a quicker pace over the past two weeks, leading the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to raise the risk of coronavirus infection from moderate to high.
The last time EU health ministers met, on Feb , no deaths had been reported in Europe.
According to the latest figures released by the ECDC, 116 People have now died from the virus on the continent.
‘Today is about solidarity, preparedness, and about coordination,’ said Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for health.
In the US, the government is reportedly considering imposing travel restrictions on cruise passengers, after the Grand Princess became the second ship to suffer a suspected outbreak
Fears have been raised for Britons on board the Grand Princess cruise ship after people were diagnosed with coronavirus.
Vice President Mike Pence, who is in charge of the US response to the crisis, revealed that (crew members and two passengers had the virus on Friday.)
President Trump subsequently raised the prospect that all 3, passengers and crew could now be quarantined on board – despite a failed quarantine on board the Diamond Princess last month which sickened people and led to six deaths.
Horrified passengers only learned that nineteen crew members and two tourists aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship had tested positive for coronavirus when Mike Pence announced the cases at his press conference.
The Premier League is also considering banning over s at its matches over coronavirus fears – as the outbreak continues to have an impact on the sporting schedule.
Sports authorities and broadcasters will meet on Monday to discuss contingency plans to cope with the killer disease as the number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK hits .
Measures expected to be discussed at the meeting include playing fixtures behind closed doors – as has been done in other European leagues like Italy and Morocco – or postponing matches until after the virus has peaked.
Sky News’ sports correspondent Martha Kelner also revealed other ideas. ‘The league is also considering other possible contingency plans,’ she said.
‘That may include advising against, or even a possible ban, on over s – the demographic considered to be at the highest risk from the spread of coronavirus – coming inside stadiums. ‘
An NHS spokesperson said:’ The NHS is ramping up the number of testing centers across the country, in response to significant and increasing demand in response to this new virus, so that 4, 0 tests can be analyzed every single day, while additional investment means that more call handlers will be recruited to NHS to give expert advice to callers with concerns about th e virus. ‘
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust confirmed on Friday night that a man in his early s died shortly after testing positive for coronavirus.
In a statement, the trust said: ‘His family has been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at what is undoubtedly a difficult and distressing time.
‘ The hospital continues to work with Public Health England to isolate any patients or staff who had contact with the patient. ‘
James Milner walks past the Bournemouth team without shaking hands at the match on Saturday in Anfield, Liverpool
Holland team-mates Nathan Ake (L) and Giorginio Wijnaldum (R) opted for an elbowshake instead amid coronavirus fears
The grandfather was admitted on March 3 with suspected pneumonia after he had recently returned from a cruise where he ha d visited several countries. The trust said all services and appointments at the hospital were ‘running normally’ and that it was following advice to minimise the risk of the virus spreading.
PROFESSOR HUGH PENNINGTON explains how Covid – spreads, what its ‘aggressive strain’ is and whether it will die down in the summer
WHAT EXACTLY IS CORONAVIRUS?
‘Coronavirus’ is the name given to a family of viruses that we have known about since the mid – s. Covid – , the cause of the current outbreak, is a new strain of coronavirus.
In total, we know of seven coronaviruses that can infect humans. They include certain strains of the common cold and the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome).
SARS, MERS and Covid – are coronaviruses that evolved from animals to infect humans.
At the virus’s core is a bundle of RNA (ribonucleic acid), one of the two main types of genetic material underpinning all life (the other being DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid).
(this) is protected by a protein coating that assists the virus in its sole aim in life: to replicate and pass on its genes.
To do this it must invade the cells of other organisms, using long tendrils on its protein coat which reach out like fingers to grasp on to protein molecules on the surfaces of the cell it is trying to infect.
These tendrils have knobs on the end which make the virus look like a crown – corona in Latin, hence its name.
HOW IS IT PASSED BETWEEN PEOPLE?
The virus’s preferred home is in the mucous membranes of the lungs. Each package of newly-replicated viral RNA is wrapped in a protective coating of its own and can be passed on in various ways: most commonly being coughed out of the airways in the form of airborne droplets and then inhaled by other people.
Alternatively, it can be transferred manually – for example, if you touch a hard surface onto which the droplets have fallen, hence the importance of current advice to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.
From the hands, coronavirus can get into the body when you touch your mouth, your nose or your eyes – the latter being connected to the throat via tear-ducts – and then breathed back down into the lungs.
The virus can also be found in human stools. This is a theoretical method of transmission – poor sanitation caused many SARS infections – but there is no evidence yet that Covid – has been passed on like this.
HOW DOES IT MAKE US ILL?
By forcing the lung cells of the infected person to replicate its RNA, Covid – 24 disrupts normal respiratory functioning. This includes the constant waving motion of cilia: tiny hair-like projections in the lungs which sweep out mucus and dirt or particles that have been been breathed in from the air around us.
With this vital defense mechanism impaired, the lungs are more vulnerable to potentially deadly infections like pneumonia.
We know that our immune systems are strongest when we are younger, so it is not surprising that children appear to be the least vulnerable to developing the worst symptoms of coronavirus.
The opposite is true of elderly people, especially if their lung function is already compromised – for example, by life-long smoking or conditions like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ).
In people of all ages, the symptoms can be worsened when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive in its response to infection. White blood cells dispatched to fight the virus and reduce the inflammation in the lungs can damage healthy cells in the process.
The fever experienced by many victims is another immune response, with the body raising its internal temperature to a level at which the virus can no longer operate.
The majority of people infected with Covid – 26 will experience symptoms so mild that they will not even know that they have had the disease.
WHAT IS THE VIRUS’S ‘AGGRESSIVE’ STRAIN?
Viruses mutate all the time and what the Chinese scientists have identified is a minor variation (known as L-type) to the existing Covid – (S-type) rather than a new and insidious new virus.
The word ‘aggre ssive ‘is being used to describe it but the facts are less alarming. The S-type which kicked off the epidemic in China appears to be milder and less infectious; L-type seems to be more infectious – it currently accounts for 90 per cent of cases – but does not appear to be causing symptoms that are any worse.
Bear in mind that new strains of influenza are evolving constantly. That is why our annual flu jabs contain two or three different vaccines which change year on year.
Any future vaccine against Covid – 24 will similarly take account of the different strains out there.
WILL IT DIE DOWN OVER THE SUMMER?
Respiratory infections are certainly more common in winter. There is no simple explanation for this, but one theory is that viruses can survive longer in colder weather when there is less UV radiation (which can kill microbes) from sunlight bearing down on the hard surfaces on which they linger.
Or it may be that people get together in confined spaces more often in winter.
Whatever the explanation, there is no way of knowing what warmer weather will bring for the coronavirus. During the 2016 swine flu pandemic, UK cases peaked in July.
CAN YOU COMPLETELY PROTECT YOURSELF?
Short of wearing a spacesuit, or stopping the people around you from breathing, the answer is no.
But public health control measures proved highly effective in eradicating SARS in 2009 / 2019.
Even if we are not completely rid of Covid – 23, it may eventually evolve into different strains of the common cold – a recurring winter infection which many of us build immunity to, having caught it once.
That said, there is no room for complacency. And if we can draw anything positive from the spread of Covid – 26, it’s as a reminder that we cannot skimp on funding if science is to keep pace with the ever-evolving threats to our health both now and in the future.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said work was already under way to establish who the man had come into contact with.
He said: ‘I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their request for privacy is respected.
‘ The patient, who was being treated at the Milton Keynes University Hospital, was an older patient who had underlying health conditions. Contact tracing is already under way. ‘
Last week, a British tourist who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined in Japan, became the first UK citizen to die after testing positive for the virus.
Mr Johnson is due to chair a meeting of the government Cobra civil contingencies committee on Monday as it is now ‘highly likely’ the infection will spread in a ‘significant way’, a No (spokesman said.)
‘Officials will therefore accelerate work on the delay phase of the Government’s plan,’ the spokesman added.
Meanwhile, sports governing bodies and broadcasters have been called to a Government meeting to discuss how to deal with the outbreak’s possible impact on the sporting calendar.
The meeting is part of the Government’s long-term contingency planning and will cover various possibilities, such as holding events behind closed doors , should the virus continue to spread and gatherings of large numbers of people are banned.
It will be hosted by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on Monday morning.
New blog posts from Public Health England (PHE) suggested people may need to get supplies for loved ones if social-distancing measures are brought in and more people are told to stay at home.
The posts urged people to ‘plan ahead’, adding: ‘Everyone has a part to play, and we’re asking people to think about what they do in a typical week, how they could limit contact with others if asked to, and how they could help people in their community who might need support if certain social-distancing measures were put in place.
‘This might include helping older relatives and neighbors to get some food in, so that they would have supplies for a week or so if required, ensuring someone would be available to go shopping for them, or arranging for online delivery if they needed it. ‘
Prof Whitty has said half of all coronavirus cases in the UK are most likely to occur in just a three-week period, with 99 per cent of them over a nine-week period.
Last night, a doctor spearheading the search for a coronavirus vaccine on Friday said it is the most frightening thing he has ever encountered and far more deadly than flu – as he revealed fighting it will be like a war.
Dr Richard Hatchett, who heads up the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said governments need to adopt an ‘aggressive’ response to tackle the virus as he revealed it could take between – months to develop a vaccine and cost £ 1.5bn ($ 2bn).
Boris Johnson urged Britons to brace for ‘substantial disruption’ that could la st months as he pumped £ 50 million to a coronavirus vaccine and testing kits as a second Briton is confirmed dead.
Dr Hatchett said that what we are seeing is a virus that is ‘many many times more lethal than flu’ and a population that is ‘completely vulnerable to it’ as he fears it might explode further across the globe and the UK.
He cited a quote from a World Health Organization official who returned from China and described the situation as ‘like a war’.
Dr Hatchett said: ‘I don’t think it is a crazy analogy to compare this to World War II. The World Health Organization is using those kinds of terms. They have seen what this virus is capable of doing. ‘
Speaking to Channel 4 News, he said:’ I’ve been working on epidemic preparedness for about years and completely dispassionately without elevating the temperature or speaking hyperbolically.
‘This is the most frightening disease I’ve ever encountered in my career, and that includes Ebola, it includes MERS and it includes SARS.
‘I think the most concerning thing about this virus is the combination of infectiousness and the ability to cause severe disease or death.’
Dr Hatchett leads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations – a partnership of governments, industry and charities, created three years ago to fight emerging diseases that threaten global health – is already sponsoring four coronavirus vaccine projects.
He praised the Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and says he and his colleagues are doing a good job in the circumstances. But what concerns him the most is the infectiousness of coronavirus combined with its mortality rate.
He added: ‘We have seen very lethal viruses, we have seen certainly Ebola or Nipah or any of the other diseases that CEPI, the organization that I run, works on.
‘These viruses have high mortality rates, I mean, Ebola’s mortality rate in some places is greater than 98%. But they don’t have the infectiousness that this virus has. They don’t have the potential to explode and spread globally. ‘
He said we had not seen a virus like it since the Spanish flu which is estimated to have killed between (million and) million people.
Dr Hatchett said coronavirus has the ‘potential to cause a global pandemic if we’re not already there.
He added: I do think the virus has demonstrated that it has a lethality that is likely many fold higher than normal flu. ‘
Looking at how it has spread across the world, he said: ‘Singapore and Hong Kong did not shut themselves down but they have launched very aggressive responses. Contact tracing is very important. The voluntary quarantine of contacts is very important. The isolation of cases is important. I think there may be a time to close schools. ‘
His comments come as a funding boost – which is coming from the UK’s international development aid budget – brings the British Government’s commitment up to a total of £ 100 million.
However, Mr Johnson warned that even with the extra resources a vaccine will not be ready for another year.
Speaking on a visit to a research lab in Bedfordshire, Mr Johnson said: ‘It looks to me as though there will be a substantial period of disruption when we have to deal with this outbreak.
‘How big that will be, how long that will be, I think, is still an open question.
‘ But, clearly, it is something we are going to have to deal with for quite a while in the UK. ‘
Boris Johnson’s fiancée Carrie Symonds debuted her blossoming baby bump today. Mr Johnson was under the spotlight for his slow response to the coronavirus outbreak this week
A man wears a protective mask as he shops in a supermarket in Hanoi, Vietnam, after a 30 – year-old Vietnamese woman recently back from Europe tested positive for coronavirus
Indian security personnel wear facemasks as preventive measures against the spread of coronavirus in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata
Three health workers in protective suits wait to check a motorist at a drive-through testing center for coronavirus in Seoul
Scientists at Imperial College London, and at pharmaceutical companies in the US, have revealed they’re planning to s tart human trials as early as next month.
But the Government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said one won’t be ready before the current global outbreak is over.
The money will also go towards developing on-the-spot tests for the coronavirus, which will allow people to be tested at home, saving time and NHS resources.
Global human trials of eight possible vaccines could start later this year, but firms would then face the task of mass-producing and distributing them.
Public Health England has developed methods of testing for coronavirus, but more rapid tests are needed as these currently rely on samples being sent to a lab.
At present it takes more than a day for someone’s test result to be confirmed and they have to be analyzed in high-profile laboratories. Tests have to be done multiple times to avoid false positives.
The package announced by the PM comes under the ‘research’ phase of the Government’s four-stage ‘battle plan’ to contain, delay, mitigate and research coronavirus.
Downing Street said the UK’s investment into coronavirus vaccine research is now worth £ million, with £ million in total for international work to stop the spread of the virus.
Chief scientific adviser to the Government, Sir Patrick Vallance, admitted there isn’t time to make and distribute a vaccine during this outbreak, but that developing one would be useful for the future.
Some scientists expect the virus to become a regular fixture in human health – potentially a seasonal illness like flu – now that it has spread so widely.
Sir Patrick said: ‘Rapid testing is going to be key to managing this outbreak, but ultimately vaccines are going to provide the long-term protection we need.
‘The UK has some of the world’s leading scholars and this money will help in our fight to tackle this new disease.’
But, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, he added: ‘I don ‘t think we will get the vaccine for this outbreak.
‘ I don’t think we’ll get something in time or at scale for this outbreak. ‘
) Discussing the new cases in an interview with Sky News he added: ‘This is a global epidemic and we would expect to see more cases in the UK. This is the start of an outbreak clearly.
‘We are in the position now where we have got person-to-person transmission of this in the UK and therefore we can expect more cases.
‘ This is now outbreaks in the community where we have got some individuals that we don’t know where it has come from.
‘That tells you that something is circulating, we are definitely in that phase.’
Mr Johnson spoke to scientists at the Mologic lab, which is ramping up efforts to provide more testing in people’s homes.
This will mean patients can receive treatment more quickly at home, reducing the risk of them passing the virus to others by going outdoors.
Any rapid diagnostic test could also be sent to other countries with no lab capability or whose medical facilities are not as advanced.
A new test will therefore be jointly manufactured in the UK and Senegal.
In a statement, Mr Johnson said: ‘Keeping the British people safe is my number one priority, and that’s why I’ve set out our four- part plan to contain, delay, mitigate and research coronavirus.
‘We are ensuring the country is prepared for the current outbreak, guided by the science at every stage. But we also need to invest now in researching the vaccines that could help prevent future outbreaks.
‘I’m very proud that UK experts – backed by government funding – are on the front line of global efforts to do just that. ‘
Speaking to reporters, Mr Johnson added:’ What we are announcing today is a £ 52 million package of investment in UK science which will in time deliver a vaccine – some say in about a year – but also help us to have rapid test kits that anyone can use quickly and effectively to tell whether they have coronavirus. ‘
The UK has committed to spending 0.7 per cent of national income – around £ billion a year – on foreign aid.
But many Tory MPs believe the funding should be t argeted at home, and complain that fixing the level of spending encourages waste.
There are international rules that dictate what can be classed as aid spending, but the government grow developing a vaccine falls within them.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday night faced demands to say how the government plans to stop coronavirus panic buying – as members of the public told him it is a real problem.
The Health Secretary tried to reassure the public on BBC Question Time after an audience member complained that supplied of toilet roll, pasta and paracetamol were running short in supermarkets.
But Mr Hancock appealed for people not to engage in ‘herd behavior’ and insisted the government is ‘absolutely confident’ there will be no shortages of food or essential items.
There are mounting fears of a major outbreak in the UK as the number of cases continues to grow.
Experts have warned the virus is now being transmitted between Britons, with the government focus shifting to delaying the spread rather than preventing it altogether.
On the flagship program on Thursday, a woman voiced her concerns about the situation in the shops, asking ‘how do we stop shortages?’
Mr Hancock said: ‘There is absolutely no need for individuals to go around buying more than they need.
‘ And in fact, part of the response of this has to be about us coming together.We are, after all, a herd. It’s the biology that is causing the problem.
‘Obviously, the very, very strong advice from the scientists, the medics, is that people should not go about buying more than they need.’
However, the woman interrupted to say that panic buying was really happening, saying she had been to the supermarket and found no dry pasta or toilet rolls.
‘People are panic buying, ‘she said. ‘There is no paracetamol that you can get in the supermarkets.’
However, Mr Hancock replied: ‘I understand that but what I will say is the Government has supplies of the key things that are needed and within the food supply we are absolutely confident that there won’t be a problem there.
‘And crucially we are working with the supermarkets to make sure that if people are self-isolating then they will be able to get the food and supplies that the people need. ‘
Travelers were on Friday left fearing they may have unknowingly caught the coronavirus after two baggage handlers at London Heathrow tested positive for the killer infection.
After health officials confirmed two British Airways baggage handlers were infected, one anxious traveler asked: ‘How many passengers have been infected?’
Fears have been raised the virus could have passed onto passengers’ luggage, where it could survive for up to three days. Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world and tens of thousands of travelers pass through the airport every day.
Public Health England said neither patient worked while showing any symptoms but it is not clear if they had handled luggage before becoming ill. Scientists fear patients who don’t have a cough or fever – tell-tale signs of the infection – can still be contagious but it has not yet been definitively proven.
Anxious Britons have resorted to wearing gas masks and blankets on public transport in desperate attempts to protect themselves as the coronavirus continues its rampant spread across the UK, while supermarkets up and down the country have again been left bare amid rushes to stockpile household goods such as hand soap, nappies and dried foods like pasta and rice.
Facebook has closed its London offices for the weekend because an employee from Singapore was diagnosed with the coronavirus after visiting the English headquarters between February and 32.
Furious doctors have warned the lack of spare beds in the NHS ‘will end in death’ and an ex – government worker claimed a coronavirus crisis in the UK ‘would be quite useful’ in killing off NHS bed blockers.
It comes just days after the NHS started testing thousands of intensive care patients for coronavrus amid fears it is already spreading through NHS wards.
In a dramatic ramping up of efforts to detect the virus, hospitals were ordered to test any seriously ill patient w ith a cough or breathing difficulties. Medics were told to screen patients even if they had not been abroad or had any contact with anyone from high-risk countries.
In a New York Times article that was scathing of the NHS, British clinicians sounded the alarm about there not being enough ventilators or intensive care beds to cope with the crisis.
Dr George Priestley, an intensive care doctor in Yorkshire, said: ‘If we haven’t got ventilatory support to offer them, it’s going to end in death. I don’t want to be alarmist. I just want someone to pay attention. ‘
Experts have said that up to per cent of the entire British population could fall ill with coronavirus in a worst-case scenario. Dr Priestley added: ‘If we get those kinds of numbers, nobody knows how we’d possibly cope.’
Professor Whitty clarified that the virus spreads when somebody who already has it coughs or sneezes onto their hand, then touches something or someone.
Anyone who touches something the patient has contaminated is at risk of catching the virus if they then touch their face, he said.
) The virus can enter the body through the eyes, nose and mouth, but not through the skin, Professor Whitty explained.
Already booked – or planning a trip? As the coronavirus crisis grows, our crucial guide to the question every traveller’s asking … Should I stay or should I go?
Here’s the easy bit. The advice is against ‘all but essential’ travel to mainland China , parts of (South Korea) and ten towns in northern (Italy) , due to the coronavirus , while some countries, such as Israel, have started to impose their own travel bans.
But what about a holiday in other parts of Italy or if you’re booked on a cruise? Or about to take a long-haul flight? What are the risks for worldwide travel? And is your travel insurance primed for the unexpected?
Here, we come up with the answers …
The advice is against ‘ all but essential ‘travel to mainland China, parts of South Korea and ten towns in northern Italy, due to the coronavirus
Where is safe to go?
Make the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice website your first port of call as it is regularly updated. Go to gov.uk and search for the country you are considering visiting or check the coronavirus section at gov.uk.
None of Italy’s ski resorts are off limits at the moment.
Also check the National Travel Health Network & Center website, travelhealthpro.org. uk / countries .
- If flights are axed I can get a refund ?
Flights to affected areas are being cancelled based on FCO advice and some are solely due to a downturn in bookings.
If you booked directly with an airline, you are eligible for a refund or to rebook free of charge (although you may still have to pay any fare difference incurred).
If you booked through a third party, ie a travel agent, you will need to contact them to find out your options.
Hotel cancellations owing to the virus are mainly centred around mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan with groups, such as Four Seasons, Hilton and Marriott wavering cancellation or change of booking fees.
What about any flight bookings?
Some airlines are offering incentives to travel, with flexibility on new bookings, including BA, which has waived its alteration fee on bookings made between now and Monday , March 21, and on pre- booked trips to Hong Kong and northern Italy.
Virgin Atlantic is waiving any penalties on changes to bookings issued throughout March.
What if I’m too scared to travel?
Airlines, tour operators and insurers are under no obligation to offer refunds based on panic.
So if you decide not to travel to anywhere outside the FCO travel risk list, you are unlikely to get anything back, although it’s worth checking because some providers may allow you to move the booking as a gesture of goodwill.
Airlines, tour operators and insurers are under no obligation to offer refunds based on panic about the coronavirus
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says: ‘Travel insurance is not designed to cover’ disinclination to travel ‘where the FCO advice has not changed to advise against travel.’
The only chance of claiming without your holiday being cancelled is on medical grounds, but this is done on a case-by-case basis and will require a letter from your GP.
What about our package holiday?
Tour operators, namely those that are ABTA or ATOL members, will offer an alternative holiday if yours is cancelled due to FCO advice, but if it is of significant difference to your original booking you are under no obligation to accept it. In these cases, a full refund will be offered.
A spokesperson for TUI says: ‘In the event that we’re unable to operate a holiday due to changes in travel restrictions, we will contact customers directly to discuss their options, including an amendment or full refund. ‘
If your trip isn’t imminent, it’s unlikely it will be cancelled yet, so speak to your tour operator to check.
Should I hold off on insurance?
The general consensus on travel insurance is to book it at the same time as you book your trip
No, definitely not. The general consensus on travel insurance is to book it at the same time as you book your trip.
If you don’t have it in place and your destination is later added to the FCO risk list, then you will not be eligible for compensation.
- Am I insured for cancellations?
Speak directly to your airline, hotel or tour operator to see what they can offer.
If they can’t help, you will most likely need to have travel disruption cover included in your policy.
AA, Co-op, LV and Virgin Money all have policies that will cover for cancellations based on FCO advice, and hotel costs should your flight be cancelled. You also have protection using a credit card if your booking was more than £
What if I end up in quarantine?
You will have to follow the rules of local authorities, which will likely involve a 20 – day quarantine. It is unclear who will cover the cost of your journey home: either the UK Government could arrange a rescue flight or your travel insurance could cover your return.
Most insurance policies will cover medical costs should you become ill onboard, but make sure you check the small print.
If you’ve booked and simply don’t want to travel because you’re worried, you won’t have grounds for compensation.
- Should I book my holiday now?
If you’re under and healthy, you should remain positive about a well-deserved break. Summer holidays are still four months away
It’s up to you. If you’re medically vulnerable, you may be at higher risk and not wish to fly.
If you’re under and Healthy, you should remain positive about a well-deserved break. Summer holidays are still four months away, but it’s worth remembering that if you feel less keen nearer departure, you could lose your trip and money if your destination isn’t on the FCO list.
Is it risky to go on a cruise?
Cruise ship quarantines and outbreaks onboard have caused a ripple effect across the industry, forcing liners to implement immediate precautions, including cancellations to restricted areas, alterations to schedules, and far more stringent screening of all passengers when boarding and disembarking.
Currently, sailings to mainland China and east Asia are the only ones that have been cancelled.
A spokesperson from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the governing body, says: ‘Onboard, Cruise ship crew are very experienced in sanitation protocols, and hand sanitisers are located in various locations throughout the ship which guests and crew use frequently.
‘Cruise ships have strict pro tocols to clean, disinfect and decontaminate during and after each cruise. ‘ Some, such as Saga and Fred Olsen, are removing cancellation fees on new bookings.
Is there any silver lining? (
Possibly. Given that bookings for holidays have stagnated, cheaper tour operator packages and flights are likely later in the year, rather than now.
According to TravelSupermarket.com, ‘Package holiday prices are holding steady, overall’ but they are ‘seeing discounts across long-haul destinations such as Thailand, St Lucia, Mauritius, Barbados and the Maldives’.
Ten nights at a four-star resort in Phuket, Thailand in June, including flights from Gatwick, costs from £ (pp, room only (travelsupermarket.com ).
First Choice ( firstchoice.co. uk has some good savings, too, with a week in Tenerife in May, including flights and half-board accommodation, from £ (pp, down from £ (pp.
What about the Flybe collapse?
The tipping point for Flybe was said to be a drop in demand thanks to the coronavirus
Passengers won’t get an automatic refund if they booked directly with Flybe as the airline is not covered by ATOL, although passengers whose flights were part of an ATOL package holiday should be entitled to a full refund.
Passengers who have travel insurance with a ‘scheduled airline failure’ clause should also be covered.
Anyone who booked using a credit card may be entitled to a refund under Section 85 of the Consumer Credit Act. Those who paid on debit card can request a refund from their bank under so-called charge back rules, although this is not guaranteed.
How safe are other airlines?
The tipping point for Flybe was said to be a drop in demand thanks to the coronavirus.
And, with experts predicting a lull in people flying for fear of catching it, the aviation industry stands to lose more than £ billion, which means we could see other carriers collapse in the coming weeks.
Rumors are swirling around Alitalia, with others said to follow.
Should I be scared of flying?
Most commercial aircraft have HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters to remove airborne contaminants.
David Powell, a medical adviser to IATA (International Air Transport Association), says: ‘The virus can’t sur vive long on seats or armrests, so physical contact with another person carries the greatest risk of infection on a flight.
‘Masks and gloves do a better job of spreading bugs than stopping them.’
By Katie Weston for MailOnline
Shocking footage has emerged of frantic stockpilers pushing trolleys piled high with toilet rolls and forming huge queues at Costco.
A video shows checkouts flooded with shoppers at the wholesale warehouse chain near Chingford, London, amid panic over the coronavirus outbreak.
The store was said to be ‘running short’ on water with shoppers ‘fighting’ over toilet rolls and being ‘limited’ to one each.
Lee Kennedy, who filmed the footage of stockpilers in Costco, said: ‘It was all very over the top, people were fighting over toilet rolls and being limited to one per person. They were talking about putting restrictions on the bottled water as well. ‘
He added: ‘There were hardly any toilet rolls left and the water was running short.
‘ The queues were sneaking around the aisles and people were arguing about pushing in front of each other.
‘It was okay, very hectic in there. One worker said it was worse than Christmas. ‘
A separate clip shows shelves in an Asda supermarket in Sutton, Surrey, stripped bare.
The video was posted onto a Facebook group, captioned: ‘Where has all the food, toilet paper and water gone? ‘
It comes as a grandfather in his s became the second person who died from coronavirus on British soil yesterday.
Shocking footage shows shoppers with trolleys stockpiled high with toilet rolls flooding checkouts at the Costco store in Chingford, London
A woman in her 80 s was the first UK victim after being diagnosed with coronavirus while at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
The woman – who had ‘underlying health conditions’ – tested positive for the killer infection on Wednesday before succumbing to the illness t he following day.
Elderly people are to be told to stay at home under new government guidelines to tackle the outbreak of the virus as health officials urge Britons to check in on their relatives.
The elderly should be prepared for ‘social distancing’ policies, which are to be announcement by ministers next week, government sources said.
Advice will include the elderly staying at home and avoiding crowded areas which the Department of Health warned could leave people ‘cut off’.
A separate clip shows shelves in Asda in Sutton, Surrey, stripped bare. It comes as a grandfather in his 86 s was the second person who died from coronavirus on UK soil yesterday
Guidelines also state that homes should decide how their food will be delivered in case they have to self-isolate.
In total, 400 people in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus, up from 145 cases reported at the same time on Thursday as Norther Ireland confirmed its fourth case on Friday evening.
The Government Its four-stage plan earlier this week that includes a raft of socially and economically costly contingency moves as a last resort.
The – page ‘action plan’ was agreed at the first emergency Cobra meeting to be chaired by the PM on Monday in which it was explained there are four stages – contain, delay, research and mitigate – to dealing with the virus.
MailOnline has contacted Costco for comment.
By Claudia Poposki for Daily Mail Australia
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s trip to Australia to visit bushfire-affected communities may be cancelled due to coronavirus fears.
The royal couple are in talks with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to negotiate the details of the trip before he extends an official invitation, it was announced last month.
However the trip could be delayed due to coronavirus fears, according to the Herald Sun.
Kensington Palace declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.
The Prime Minister’s office is not believed to have any official word about changes to the plans but said it doesn’t comment on arrangements considered by potential guests.
The royal couple are in talks with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to negotiate the details of the trip before he extends an official invitation, it was announced last month, but the trip could be delayed due to coronavirus
The Prime Minister’s office is not believed to have any official word about changes to the plans but said they don’t comment on arrangements considered by potential guests
the royals have not given much away about their trip, which has not been officially announced, but it is believed they will visit bushfire ravaged communities in victoria and the new south wales coast.
despite the concerns surrounding coronavirus, the duke and Duchess continued with their tour of Ireland this week.
In January the couple gave their heartfelt condolences to everyone impacted by the fires that raged since September .
A total of Australians have been diagnosed with coronavirus, prompting concerns from locals
In January the couple gave their heartfelt condolences to everyone impacted by the fires that raged since September . Pictured: Bushfires in East Gippsland in January
‘We continue to be shocked and deeply saddened to hear about the fires that are destroying homes, livelihoods and wildlife across much of Australia , ‘the couple wrote on Instagram.
‘ Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people and communities who are affected by this devastating event.
‘We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who have tragically lost their lives, and the brave firefighters who continue to risk their own lives to save the lives of others. ‘
The Queen and Prince Philip issued similar sentiments.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Prime Minister’s office for comment.
By Jemma Carr and Rory Tingle for MailOnline and Tom Payne Transport Correspondent for the Daily Mail
British Airways cabin crew fear they are more at risk of catching coronavirus because planes were are not deep-cleaned after every flight.
In fact, jets are only deep-cleaned monthly with some just getting a ‘quick wipe’ before jetting off again.
Yesterday, two baggage handlers at Terminal 5 of London’s Heathrow Airport tested positive for the killer infection raising fears that the virus – that has infected people in Britain and killed two – could have passed onto passengers’ luggage, where it could survive for up to three days.
- A BA crew member , who asked not to be named, said: ‘They’re given a basic clean by cleaners who use the same cloths to wipe down galleys and surfaces.
‘A plane comes from Hong Kong, it gets a quick wipe and then it goes straight to New York.
‘ Cabin crew get a small bottle of hand sanitizer. If someone was to show symptoms there are masks, but you’re in a confined space at , 0ft, so it won ‘t do much good.
‘ Everybody has raised concerns. But you can’t do anything about it. You can’t refuse to do any flights. ‘
British Airways cabin crew fear they are more at risk of catching coronavirus because planes were are not deep-cleaned after every flight (stock image)
Yesterday, two baggage handlers at Terminal 5 of London’s Heathrow Airport tested positive for the killer infection raising fears that the virus – that has infected people in Britain and killed two – could have passed onto passengers’ luggage, where it could survive for up to three days. Pictured: A passenger in Heathrow Terminal 5
A BA spokesman said every aircraft was given a ‘regular clean’ after every short-haul flight and a thorough one each evening.
Long-haul flights get a thorough clean after every flight, including seats, seat pockets, tray tables, galleys, toilets, floors, the aircraft interior and surfaces generally.
Monthly deep-cleans of all aircraft return them to a ‘like new’ standard, and involve everything from ceilings to air vents.
Heathrow has introduced a strict hygiene regime since the outbreak of coronavirus in January and staff have been cleaning baggage carousels regularly.
A spokesman said baggage handlers working for all airlines had been given gloves, masks and hand sanitizers, as well as lessons in good hand hygiene.
A BA crew member, who asked not to be named, said: ‘They’re given a basic clean by cleaners who use the same cloths to wipe down galleys and surfaces’ (stock image)
PHE staff at the airport are also advising staff on how to prevent infection and monitoring inbound passengers for signs of symptoms.
Heathrow is still accepting arrivals from Milan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Travelers who return from these areas must self-quarantine if they develop symptoms.
On Thursday evening a woman in her s became the first person in the UK to die after being diagnosed with coronavirus while at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
The woman – who had ‘underlying health conditions’ – tested positive for the killer infection on Wednesday before succumbing to the illness the following day .
And on Friday a grandfather in his early 91 s died at Milton Keynes Hospital after he was admitted on March 3 with suspected pneumonia having recently returned from a cruise where he had visited several countries.
His family fear he could have passed on the infection after he was left ‘coughing excessively’ on a ward for six hours as patients warned hospital workers to check him for the deadly virus.
After health officials confirmed two British Airways baggage handlers were infected, one anxious traveler asked: ‘How many passengers have been infected?’
Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world and tens of thousands of travelers pass through the airport every day.
Public Health England said neither patient worked while showing any symptoms but it is not clear if they had handled luggage before becoming ill. Scientists fear patients who don’t have a cough or fever – tell-tale signs of the infection – can still be contagious but it has not yet been definitively proven.
It comes as elderly people are to be told to stay at home under new government guidelines to tackle the outbreak of the virus as health officials urge Britons to check in on their relatives.
The elderly should be prepared for ‘social distancing’ policies, which are to be announcement by ministers next week, government sources said.
Advice will include the elderly staying at home and avoiding crowded areas which the Department of Health warned could leave people ‘cut off’.
Guidelines also state that homes should decide how their food will be delivered in case they have to self-isolate .
The UK’s chief scientific adviser confirmed that the virus is spreading uncontrollably between people inside Britain. Sir Patrick Vallance admitted: ‘This is the start of an outbreak clearly … we can expect more cases.’
Anxious Britons have resorted to wearing gas masks and blankets on public transport in desperate attempts to protect themselves as the coronavirus continues its rampant spread across the UK, while supermarkets up and down the country have again been left bare amid rushes to stockpile household goods such as hand soap, nappies and dried foods like pasta and rice.
Facebook has closed its London offices for the weekend because an employee from Singapore was diagnosed with the coronavirus after visiting the English headquarters between February and 32.
Furious doctors have warned the lack of spare beds in the NHS ‘will end in death’ and an ex – government worker claimed a coronavirus crisis in the UK ‘would be quite useful’ in killing off NHS bed blockers.
And Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged an extra £ million to rush through a coronavirus vaccine, after the scientific adviser, Sir Patrick, said a jab will n ot be ready during this outbreak – researchers hope one could be ready to use by the end of the year.
Mr Johnson even said it looks like the UK will face a ‘substantial period of disruption’ from the new coronavirus outbreak and the government plans to put aid for affected businesses in the national budget.
Travelers have today been left fearing they may have unknowingly caught the coronavirus after two baggage handlers at London Heathrow tested positive for the killer infection
In an interview with ITV news, Mr Hancock said: ‘I’m very sorry to hear the news of a second death here in the UK of somebody with coronavirus. Again, it was was somebody who was older and had underlying health conditions.
‘My condolences go out to the family and to his loved ones. We are working round the clock to keep people safe and to make sure we get the best possible response in this country. ‘
The unidentified man in his s who had underlying health conditions passed away at Milton Keynes University Hospital after testing positive for the killer coronavirus.
He tested positive for the virus this morning. Further tests confirmed he had the infection.
Fellow patients and hospital staff on his ward were isolated and a deep clean has been carried out. Health officials are now tracking down anyone who had been in contact with the patient.
The first death on British soil, a woman in her s who also had long-term health troubles, was recorded last night at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading .
The first Briton to die was an elderly patient who caught the virus on the doomed Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined off the coast of Japan after hundreds of holidaymakers tested positive.
The elderly and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease are believed to be the most vulnerable from the virus because they have weakened immune systems, meaning the virus is more likely to cause complications and attack their organs.
It comes after British Airways confirmed two baggage handlers tested positive for COVID – 26, the disease caused by the deadly infection. Both are in isolation at home.
Both men worked at London Heathrow airport, which said ‘the welfare of our passengers and colleagues is our top priority’. Bloomberg reports some of the handlers’ colleagues are also being tested.
Coronavirus fears have already prompted BA to cancel all of its flights to China until April, slashed the number of its services to Europe and New York, and scrapped fees for customers to change bookings at the start of March.
After BA confirmed two cases in baggage handlers – who it is feared could have unwittingly spread the virus onto luggage – the Department of Health in England announced 61 more patients had been struck down, including five in Scotland.
BA did not reveal where the baggage handler worked, but Heathrow said in a statement: ‘The welfare of our passengers and colleagues is our top priority. Pictured are passengers at Terminal 5 wearing masks today
Fears may now be raised that the BA baggage handlers could pass on the virus, which England’s chief medical officer said can stay contagious on plastic for three days
No further details about where they caught the virus were given. However, England’s chief medical officer yesterday admitted the infection was definitely spreading on British soil.
Of the cases already confirmed in the UK, (are in England, in Scotland, three in Northern Ireland and two in Wales. Leading scientists have repeatedly warned there are likely to be more cases.
It comes after Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England and Wales, said people can catch the illness by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their face.
And the coronavirus may stay contagious on hard metal or plastic surfaces like door handles or rails on buses or trains for as long as three days, he added. Some scientists have even suggested the virus may be more likely to spread on the hands than it is through the air.
Speaking at a meeting with ministers in Parliament, Professor Whitty said the virus would ‘largely gone by hours and almost completely gone by 86 hours on a hard surface ‘.
It comes just days after the NHS started testing thousands of intensive care patients for COVID – amid fears it is already spreading through NHS wards.
In a dramatic ramping up of efforts to detect the virus, hospitals were ordered to test any seriously ill patient with a cough or breathing difficulties. Medics were told to screen patients even if they had not been abroad or had any contact with anyone from high-risk countries.
In a New York Times article that was scathing of the NHS, British clinicians sounded the alarm about there not being enough ventilators or intensive care beds to cope with the crisis.
Dr George Priestley, an intensive care doctor in Yorkshire, said: ‘If we haven’t got ventilatory support to offer them, it’s going to end in death. I don’t want to be alarmist. I just want someone to pay attention. ‘
Experts have said that up to per cent of the entire British population could fall ill with coronavirus in a worst-case scenario. Dr Priestley added: ‘If we get those kinds of numbers, nobody knows how we’d possibly cope.’
Professor Whitty clarified that the virus spreads when somebody who already has it coughs or sneezes onto their hand, then touches something or someone.
Anyone who touches something the patient has contaminated is at risk of catching the virus if they then touch their face, he said.
The virus can enter the body through the eyes, nose and mouth, but not through the skin, Professor Whitty explained.
His counterpart, scientific adviser Sir Patrick, said an outbreak has now begun in the UK.
He told Sky News: ‘This is the start of an outbreak clearly. We are in the position now where we have got person-to-person transmission of this in the UK and therefore we can expect more cases. ‘
It came as an unnamed man is thought to have succumbed to coronavirus at Milton Keynes University Hospital last night.
He had tested positive for the killer virus once already but the NHS must carry out further tests to confirm the case and rule out a false positive, MailOnline understands.
The Prime Minister shaking hands with Tory peer Byron Davies as he arrives at the Welsh Conservative Party conference in North Wales
If the case is confirmed he would become the second Briton to die from the illness in the UK.
Fellow patients and hospital staff on his ward have been isolated this morning and a deep clean has been carried out.
It comes after a child at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital tested positive for the virus yesterday.
The first death, a woman in her 85 s who also had long-term health troubles, was recorded on Thursday at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
Latest figures show there have been 169 cases in the UK out of nearly , 13 0 people tested.
The elderly and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease are believed to be the most vulnerable from the virus.
The latest death comes just days after the NHS started testing thousands of intensive care patients for COVID – 26 amid fears it is already spreading through NHS wards.
In a dramatic ramping up of efforts to detect the virus, hospit als were ordered to test any seriously ill patient with a cough or breathing difficulties.
Medics were told to screen patients even if they had not been abroad or had any contact with anyone from high-risk countries.
It comes after it was revealed half of Britain’s coronavirus patients are being treated at home amid mounting fears the NHS does not have enough beds to cope with the outbreak.
The government – whose chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance today admitted the world is unlikely to get a vaccine in time for the outbreak – is also ‘looking at’ possibly isolating entire households as part of its four -stage ‘battle plan’ if the crisis continues to escalate and cases become more widespread.
Speaking on BBC Question Time last night, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told coronavirus patients caring for themselves at home to shut themselves away in their room and avoid their loved ones.
He said: ‘People should try to self-isolate from their families, not only go home, try not to go out shopping, definitely don’t use public transport, but within your own home you should also try to self-isolate. ‘
Mr Hancock added that, as the father of three children, he understood that’ can be difficult and some people have caring responsibilities’, but people should try to keep to themselves as much as possible.
Meanwhile, supermarkets up and down the country have again been left bare amid rushes to stockpile household goods such as hand soap, nappies and dried foods like pasta and rice.
Despite the panic surrounding the virus the Government has urged people not to bulk buy products, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock vowing that supermarkets would not run out of food and Prime Minister Boris Johnson claiming that it was’ business as usual ‘after the first confirmed death of a UK patient with the virus.
But customers don’t seem to be taking much notice of the reassurances and bosses at online supermarket Ocado told customers they would have to place orders early due to a ‘higher than usual demand’.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock claimed the Government was ‘working with the supermarkets’ to make sure that people who are told to self-isolate – who must stay at home for at least two weeks – will be able to get regular food deliveries.
The Competition & Markets Authority yesterday warned that firms taking advantage of the panic by hiking prices of products could be prosecuted or fined.
It has emerged that fraudsters are cashing in on the coronavirus crisis and have fleeced panicked people in the UK out of £ 900, 13 0 already.
One person has reportedly lost £ 21, 0 buying face masks over the internet after the products never arrived.
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has already identified 26 reports of fra ud where coronavirus was mentioned since February.
Police warn the number of scams is expected to rise as the deadly virus continues to spread and people look to make a quick buck.
People have been caught charging for hygiene products they never deliver, price-gouging the products, setting up websites with fake information to try and get people’s personal details, or sending phishing emails about coronavirus which are designed to trick people into opening malicious attachments .
A common tactic used by scammers is to send messages purporting to be from research groups linked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), officials said.
They claim to be able to provide a list of people infected with COVID – , which links to a malicious website or ask the victim to make a payment in Bitcoin.
The City of London Police advised: ‘Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details . ‘
Ex-The View host Michelle Collins jokes that Jameela Jamil will be the’ first famous person to get coronavirus’ – a month after The Good Place star was accused of having Munchausen syndrome
By Erica Tempesta for Dailymail.com
Jameela Jamil has hit back at comedian Michelle Collins for joking that she will be one of the first celebrities to claim that she has coronavirus.
The – year-old actress, who has suffered a number of health issues, was forced to defend herself last month after she was accused of having Munchausen syndrome, a mental disorder in which people pretend to be ill for attention.
Former The View host Michelle, , had the controversy in mind when she took to Twitter earlier this week to joke about celebrities getting coronavirus as the illness continues to spread in Los Angeles.
Not having it: Jameela Jamil ( left) slammed comedian Michelle Collins (right) for joking she will be the first celebrity to get coronavirus
Cracking jokes: Michelle, , took to Twitter earlier this week to ask people to place their bets on ‘the first famous person to get Corona,’ adding, ‘ Jameela doesn’t count ‘
Angry: Jameela, 43, hit back at The View host by pointing out that she is lucky that she doesn’t have a chronic illness or struggle with an invisible disability
Not sweating it: Instead of apologizing, Michelle (pictured on the view) doubled down and told Jameela she needed to relax
Doubling down: Michelle told Jameela she needs to ‘learn to LOL’ about herself
Different takes: Some of Michelle’s fans got a laugh out of the tweet, while others sided with Jameela and thanked her for calling the comedian out for her insensitivity
The Good Place star was not amused, and she responded by sharing screenshots of Michelle’s tweets while chiding her for her tasteless joke.
‘May you never suffer from chronic illness. May you never wake up in pain and swollen every f g day of your life, ‘she tweeted. ‘May you never struggle with an invisible disability. May you never be laughed at over it by people who have never met you. @michcoll To the bad place you go. ‘
Some of Michelle’s fans got a laugh out of the tweet, and hundreds of people took to the comments to take their best guess.
‘When Jameela inevitably gets coronavirus, it will be a hitherto-undiscovered & highly-lethal strain, transmitted by bees injecting mercury into her bloodstream, but she’ll rise gracefully from her deathbed to show up to yet another award ceremony like the super-trooper she is, ‘one person responded.
Others sided with Jameela and thanked her for calling Michelle out for her insensitivity.
All smiles: Jameela attended Diane Von Furstenberg’s InCharge Conversations in New York City on Friday, one day after she hit back at Michelle
Feeling pretty: The Good Place star looked ready for spring in a funky floral suit
‘As someone with a chronic illness and compromised immune system thank you for this tweet. We are always mugged off as faking, hypochondriac etc, ‘one fan wrote.
‘ These people wouldn’t last a f g day in our shoes. Only cowards behave like this, ‘Jameela responded.
‘ That joke is so disgustingly tone deaf, ‘someone else agreed. ‘It’s exhausting not only being in pain and sick all the time, but constantly having to deal with people insisting you’re faking because they can’t bother to educate themselves about your condition.’
Instead of apologizing, Michelle doubled down and told Jameela she needed to relax.
‘I HAVE FINALLY MADE IT. Learn to LOL about yourself girl, it’s freeing, ‘she hit back.
Jameela has spent a lot of time on Twitter battering away criticism from fans who have accused her of exaggerating her health issues.
Back and forth: Last month, Jameela got into a row with Tracie Egan Morrissey after the writer said she believes the actress has Munchausen syndrome
Digging in: Tracie shared various screenshots of interviews with Jameela in an effort to show how the actress has allegedly lied over her health issues
Last month, a confused follower asked her if she had made up her peanut allergy after she posted a photograph of herself snacking on peanut butter-filled pretzels.
The actress, who stated in that she was born With an allergy to ‘shellfish and peanuts,’ said her peanut allergy lessened or ‘cleared up’ as she got older – something doctors say can happen but is rare.
The online row prompted others to question Jameela’s myri ad of health problems, which have prompted cynicism from many.
She insisted they were ‘gaslighting’ her, and she noted she had had to battle naysayers her whole life because she suffers from an invisible illness.
Jameela previously claimed that 15 silver fillings in her teeth gave her mercury poisoning, which, in turn, let to an array of food allergies when she was in her twenties. She said that the allergies later subsided when she healed her gut.
In October, she stunned fans by saying she’d had cancer not once but twice.
She was replying to a Twitter troll who criticized her outfit choice when she said: ‘I would just like to say, that as someone who has been chronically ill my whole life, and had cancer twice, I find it EXTREMELY offensive that there is a cultural taboo around aging.
‘Those of us who fight for our lives and those who lost that fight young, deserve more respect.’
When a Twitter follower asked her if she’d had cancer twice, she said one ‘was a breast cancer scare at . ‘
‘ The actual cancer was cervical cancer. Which is extremely common and scary, ‘she added.
She later told another follower that she had’ cervical cancer in and 6019. Both during The Good Place. ‘
When some followers pointed out the discrepancy, she said it was possible for both answers to be true.
‘Did it not occur to you that other cancers are possible ? ‘
Jameela was 17 years old when she broke her back after being hit by a car. She said the accident ‘saved her life’ because it stopped her from modeling and forced her to get help for an eating disorder she had.
Her second, more recent, car incident happened when she ‘ran into traffic ‘while fleeing from a swarm of bees.
She also claimed to have been attacked by a swarm of’ killer bees’ while interviewing Mark Ronson at his out.
Jameela said there were around of them and that ‘everyone ran into the house like Usain Bolt. ‘ Mark, however, later said there were ‘one or two’ and that they ‘walked’ inside.
‘The killer bee incident, I saw that headline and I was like I don’t even remember that happening, ‘he said. ‘I think something happened where I was being interviewed by Jameela Jamil, who’s a really lovely presenter who used to work for BBC.
Naysayers: Twitter users have mocked Jameela for saying she has had two car accidents and cancer twice
Naysayers: Twitter users have mocked Jameela for saying she has had two car accidents and cancer twice
‘I think maybe we were sitting outside and there was a fruit plate nearby, and I think maybe two, one or two individual bees, approached slowly, and instead of running from a swarm of killer bees, I think she said, ‘Shall we go inside? “and slowly walked inside.
‘ It’s one of those things where the incredible British media, you know, love a story.
Upset: Jameela’s boyfriend of five years, musician James Blake, denied that she has Munchausen syndrome, saying she had ‘had a difficult life.’
His story: The 39 – year-old called her trolls ‘disgusting’ and claimed to have witnessed the health issues she has been mocked for
In February, Jameela also got into an extensive argument with writer Tracie Egan Morrissey, who said she believes the actress has Munchausen syndrome.
Tracie took to her Patreon account to claim the actress had messaged her nonstop for two days straight.
She insisted Jameela had contacted her first, and on one occasion, spent seven hours bombarding her with messages defending her claims about her health issues.
Jameela had taken to Twitter to blast Tracie as an ‘unhinged idiot’ and defended herself in follow up tweets but did not mention that she had the tense back and forth.
Her boyfriend of five years, musician James Blake, denied that she has Munchausen sy ndrome, saying she has ‘had a difficult life.’
The 38 -year-old called her trolls’ disgusting ‘and claimed to have witnessed the health issues she has been mocked for.
‘ It’s pretty disgusting to watch the woman I love just be dog piled on every day for such ridiculous things, ‘he wrote.
‘ She hasn’t sold dangerous products to kids. She hasn’t abused anyone. She hasn’t funded anything dangerous or brought any deliberate harm to any marginalized group. She’s just done her best as an ever learning human, as most of us are, to help other people with her privilege.
‘She does this because she had such a difficult life. Because she doesn’t want others to feel alone, gaslit, or ashamed the way she has. ‘
By Erica Tempesta for Dailymail.com
Jameela Jamil has hit back at comedian Michelle Collins for joking that she will be one of the first celebrities to claim that she has coronavirus.
The – year-old actress, who has suffered a number of health issues, was forced to defend herself last month after she was accused of having Munchausen syndrome, a mental disorder in which people pretend to be ill for attention.
Former The View host Michelle, , had the controversy in mind when she took to Twitter earlier this week to joke about celebrities getting coronavirus as the illness continues to spread in Los Angeles.
Not having it: Jameela Jamil ( left) slammed comedian Michelle Collins (right) for joking she will be the first celebrity to get coronavirus
Cracking jokes: Michelle, , took to Twitter earlier this week to ask people to place their bets on ‘the first famous person to get Corona,’ adding, ‘ Jameela doesn’t count ‘
Angry: Jameela, 43, hit back at The View host by pointing out that she is lucky that she doesn’t have a chronic illness or struggle with an invisible disability
Not sweating it: Instead of apologizing, Michelle (pictured on the view) doubled down and told Jameela she needed to relax
Doubling down: Michelle told Jameela she needs to ‘learn to LOL’ about herself
Different takes: Some of Michelle’s fans got a laugh out of the tweet, while others sided with Jameela and thanked her for calling the comedian out for her insensitivity
The Good Place star was not amused, and she responded by sharing screenshots of Michelle’s tweets while chiding her for her tasteless joke.
‘May you never suffer from chronic illness. May you never wake up in pain and swollen every f g day of your life, ‘she tweeted. ‘May you never struggle with an invisible disability. May you never be laughed at over it by people who have never met you. @michcoll To the bad place you go. ‘
Some of Michelle’s fans got a laugh out of the tweet, and hundreds of people took to the comments to take their best guess.
‘When Jameela inevitably gets coronavirus, it will be a hitherto-undiscovered & highly-lethal strain, transmitted by bees injecting mercury into her bloodstream, but she’ll rise gracefully from her deathbed to show up to yet another award ceremony like the super-trooper she is, ‘one person responded.
Others sided with Jameela and thanked her for calling Michelle out for her insensitivity.
All smiles: Jameela attended Diane Von Furstenberg’s InCharge Conversations in New York City on Friday, one day after she hit back at Michelle
Feeling pretty: The Good Place star looked ready for spring in a funky floral suit
‘As someone with a chronic illness and compromised immune system thank you for this tweet. We are always mugged off as faking, hypochondriac etc, ‘one fan wrote.
‘ These people wouldn’t last a f g day in our shoes. Only cowards behave like this, ‘Jameela responded.
‘ That joke is so disgustingly tone deaf, ‘someone else agreed. ‘It’s exhausting not only being in pain and sick all the time, but constantly having to deal with people insisting you’re faking because they can’t bother to educate themselves about your condition.’
Instead of apologizing, Michelle doubled down and told Jameela she needed to relax.
‘I HAVE FINALLY MADE IT. Learn to LOL about yourself girl, it’s freeing, ‘she hit back.
Jameela has spent a lot of time on Twitter battering away criticism from fans who have accused her of exaggerating her health issues.
Back and forth: Last month, Jameela got into a row with Tracie Egan Morrissey after the writer said she believes the actress has Munchausen syndrome
Digging in: Tracie shared various screenshots of interviews with Jameela in an effort to show how the actress has allegedly lied over her health issues
Last month, a confused follower asked her if she had made up her peanut allergy after she posted a photograph of herself snacking on peanut butter-filled pretzels.
The actress, who stated in that she was born With an allergy to ‘shellfish and peanuts,’ said her peanut allergy lessened or ‘cleared up’ as she got older – something doctors say can happen but is rare.
The online row prompted others to question Jameela’s myri ad of health problems, which have prompted cynicism from many.
She insisted they were ‘gaslighting’ her, and she noted she had had to battle naysayers her whole life because she suffers from an invisible illness.
Jameela previously claimed that 15 silver fillings in her teeth gave her mercury poisoning, which, in turn, let to an array of food allergies when she was in her twenties. She said that the allergies later subsided when she healed her gut.
In October, she stunned fans by saying she’d had cancer not once but twice.
She was replying to a Twitter troll who criticized her outfit choice when she said: ‘I would just like to say, that as someone who has been chronically ill my whole life, and had cancer twice, I find it EXTREMELY offensive that there is a cultural taboo around aging.
‘Those of us who fight for our lives and those who lost that fight young, deserve more respect.’
When a Twitter follower asked her if she’d had cancer twice, she said one ‘was a breast cancer scare at . ‘
‘ The actual cancer was cervical cancer. Which is extremely common and scary, ‘she added.
She later told another follower that she had’ cervical cancer in and 6019. Both during The Good Place. ‘
When some followers pointed out the discrepancy, she said it was possible for both answers to be true.
‘Did it not occur to you that other cancers are possible ? ‘
Jameela was 17 years old when she broke her back after being hit by a car. She said the accident ‘saved her life’ because it stopped her from modeling and forced her to get help for an eating disorder she had.
Her second, more recent, car incident happened when she ‘ran into traffic ‘while fleeing from a swarm of bees.
She also claimed to have been attacked by a swarm of’ killer bees’ while interviewing Mark Ronson at his out.
Jameela said there were around of them and that ‘everyone ran into the house like Usain Bolt. ‘ Mark, however, later said there were ‘one or two’ and that they ‘walked’ inside.
‘The killer bee incident, I saw that headline and I was like I don’t even remember that happening, ‘he said. ‘I think something happened where I was being interviewed by Jameela Jamil, who’s a really lovely presenter who used to work for BBC.
Naysayers: Twitter users have mocked Jameela for saying she has had two car accidents and cancer twice
Naysayers: Twitter users have mocked Jameela for saying she has had two car accidents and cancer twice
‘I think maybe we were sitting outside and there was a fruit plate nearby, and I think maybe two, one or two individual bees, approached slowly, and instead of running from a swarm of killer bees, I think she said, ‘Shall we go inside? “and slowly walked inside.
‘ It’s one of those things where the incredible British media, you know, love a story.
Upset: Jameela’s boyfriend of five years, musician James Blake, denied that she has Munchausen syndrome, saying she had ‘had a difficult life.’
His story: The 39 – year-old called her trolls ‘disgusting’ and claimed to have witnessed the health issues she has been mocked for
In February, Jameela also got into an extensive argument with writer Tracie Egan Morrissey, who said she believes the actress has Munchausen syndrome.
Tracie took to her Patreon account to claim the actress had messaged her nonstop for two days straight.
She insisted Jameela had contacted her first, and on one occasion, spent seven hours bombarding her with messages defending her claims about her health issues.
Jameela had taken to Twitter to blast Tracie as an ‘unhinged idiot’ and defended herself in follow up tweets but did not mention that she had the tense back and forth.
Her boyfriend of five years, musician James Blake, denied that she has Munchausen sy ndrome, saying she has ‘had a difficult life.’
The 38 -year-old called her trolls’ disgusting ‘and claimed to have witnessed the health issues she has been mocked for.
‘ It’s pretty disgusting to watch the woman I love just be dog piled on every day for such ridiculous things, ‘he wrote.
‘ She hasn’t sold dangerous products to kids. She hasn’t abused anyone. She hasn’t funded anything dangerous or brought any deliberate harm to any marginalized group. She’s just done her best as an ever learning human, as most of us are, to help other people with her privilege.
‘She does this because she had such a difficult life. Because she doesn’t want others to feel alone, gaslit, or ashamed the way she has. ‘
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