PASSENGERS travelling from China to the UK were NOT screened for coronavirus when they arrived in England.
Health authorities did not screen the passengers infected with possible coronavirus that just arrived from China into London sparking fears the deadly coronavirus could spread in Britain.
There are at least 17 dead in China and 550 confirmed cases across six countries – but today the British government warned the death toll is likely to be higher.
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passengers landing in the UK are being fobbed off with leaflets telling them to call the NHS if they feel unwell.
Meanwhile at other major international airports full-body screenings and temperature checks are being carried out.
Furious passengers today slammed the meagre efforts made by the British authorities to keep the public safe.
Disease expert Professor Neil Ferguson fears the coronavirus could already have arrived in the UK on one of the three flights a week from Wuhan.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock today said there was an “increased
likelihood” that there would be cases of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK – but the NHS is ready.
The public can be assured that the whole of the UK is well prepared for these type of outbreaks.
Mr Hancock reassured that our doctors were “well equipped” to deal with the disease with Britain leading the way in testing of the virus.
He told MPs: “The public can be assured that the whole of the UK is well prepared for these type of outbreaks.”
airports full-body screenings and temperature checks are being carried out.
Furious passengers today slammed the meagre efforts made by the British authorities to keep the public safe.
Disease expert Professor Neil Ferguson fears the coronavirus could already have arrived in the UK on one of the three flights a week from Wuhan.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock today said there was an “increased likeliehood” that there would be cases of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK – but the NHS is ready.
The public can be assured that the whole of the UK is well prepared for these type of outbreaks.
Matt Hancock
Mr Hancock reassured that our doctors were “well equipped” to deal with the disease with Britain leading the way in testing of the virus.
He told MPs: “The public can be assured that the whole of the UK is well prepared for these type of outbreaks.”
There is yet to be any confirmed cases of the virus in Brits but Public Health England officials have been carrying out “enhance monitoring” on flights from Wuhan, Mr Hancock assured.
Aircraft from the Chinese city are landing in an isolated area of Heathrow Terminal 4 to limit the potential spread of the infection.
But furious Brits were left stunned by the lack of advice given to them as they arrived home today.
One arrival said: “All we got was a leaflet, that’s it.
“It seems odd because I knew American cities were screening. I was not screened leaving Wahun, or in the UK. I didn’t see anybody get screened. It would have made sense.”
He added: “I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to get out [of Wuhan], but as I have I would expect more to get out frankly.”
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Meanwhile concerned Brits have called on Boris Johnson to enforce tougher screen conditions for travellers coming from China.
Others have asked for flights from the country to be diverted away from UK shores.
One woman wrote on Twitter: “Why have we allowed flights to Heathrow from Wuhan this morning when the Coronavirus has a 5 day incubation period?
“So now Britain is on virus alert smart bloody move that bit like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted at least they have stopped movement out of Wuhan now.”
So now Britain is on virus alert smart bloody move that bit like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted at least they have stopped movement out of Wuhan now.
Another woman said: “AN ADVISORY LEAFLET?!
“You could’ve just contaminated the UK! Why weren’t they scanned at Heathrow like they are in China?!”
One tweeter wrote: “Why are we in the UK not on the alert and ready to respond?
“We have 1000s of Chinese people in the UK who travel in and out of China this needs to be a priority screen at LHR now, don’t just hand out leaflets.
“That wont stop the spread of the coronavirus.”
We have 1000s of Chinese people in the UK who travel in and out of China this needs to be a priority screen at LHR now, don’t just hand out leaflets.
Another fumed: “But of course Heathrow f****d up and only made their leaflets for mainly Chinese people not in Chinese.”
Officials say they have no plans to introduce blanket temperature screening of all passengers – as the measure has failed in the past.
The infection, linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, has spread to Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
Prof Ferguson, from Imperial College London, is now forecasting up to 9,700 could become infected.
He claimed up two people in every 100 infected could die, which is comparable to the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918.
That was the deadliest pandemic in recent history, wiping out 50 million people worldwide.
Prof Ferguson said the authorities are “overwhelmed with suspect cases” and are facing “an extremely demanding situation” in which numbers of those infected will continue to rise.
“It’s possible the case fatality rate could be as high as two per cent.
“Two percent case fatality rate is comparable to the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, so it is a significant concern globally.”
Prof Ferguson warned the virus, which has an incubation period of seven days, may already have reached Britain.
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“We can’t rule out that possibility. Border screening, and in this case, in the UK, alerting the health system is not 100 per cent fool proof – there could be a mild case,” he said.
“It’s understandable countries want to try and reduce the threat by various measures at the border. But the border will still be porous.”
There are three direct flights from the Chinese city of Wuhan – which has a larger population than London at 11 million – to Heathrow every week.
The Department of Health and Social Care said that from today enhanced monitoring will be in place from all direct flights from Wuhan to the UK.
A team of healthcare experts will now meet each direct flight aircraft to provide advice and support to those that feel unwell.
Terminal 4 at Heathrow where passengers arriving from Wuhan China
The new strain of coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, causes symptoms that may start as a cold and eventually end up developing into pneumonia
The once buzzing city of Wuhan show it has been reduced to a ghost town as the authorities there ban all travel on public transport.
Images from the Central Hospital of Wuhan show doctors in the intensive care unit wearing hazmat suits.
At least 20 medics in the country have also been infected with the highly contagious bug while treating patients, officials said.
GHOST TOWN
Residents have been told not to travel, to avoid crowds and minimize public gatherings despite Chinese New Year being only three days away.
Blue and white police tape flutters in the fog-heavy breeze beyond the shuttered gates of Huanan Haixian Shichang, a once-thriving market at the epicentre of the outbreak.
The Chinese government initially tried to conceal the severity of that epidemic but its cover-up was exposed by a high-ranking physician.
The virus could be declared a global health crisis after cases of the mystery bug previously quadrupled in just four days.
There are also reported cases in Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Thailand.
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