Four people who were evacuated from the cruise ship Diamond Princess to the
UK have tested positive for coronavirus. The four have been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres.
They had been among a group of 30
British nationals and two
Irish citizens who arrived at a quarantine block at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside on Saturday.
Officials have confirmed the virus was passed on in the Diamond Princess, which had been held for more than two weeks off the coast of Japan. Update on #coronavirus: Four further patients in
England have tested positive for #COVID-19. The virus was passed on in the Diamond Princess cruise ship and the patients are being transferred to specialist NHS centres.More info: https://t.co/cudRsJTMPepic.twitter.com/AtccAx9qpf— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) February 23, 2020More than 600 people aboard the ship tested positive for the virus whilst it was held under quarantine.
A statement on the Department of Health Website from England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty reads: “Four further patients in England have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to thirteen.
“The virus was passed on in the Diamond Princess cruise ship and the patients are being transferred from Arrowe Park to specialist NHS infection centres.”The Department of Health said a “full infectious disease risk assessment” was done before Saturday’s repatriation flight and that no-one who boarded the flight had displayed any symptoms of the virus. Related... Coronavirus Latest: Here’s What We Know About The Spread Of The Outbreak We're Living In
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