Amid concerns that the deadly coronavirus, responsible for 17 deaths in China, could already be present in the UK, an isolation program has been initiated for passengers arriving in London from the affected country.
The health threat level of the coronavirus has prompted UK health experts to raise an alarm, drawing parallels with the global Spanish Flu pandemic that claimed more than 50 million lives in 1918.
An expert in mathematical biology at Imperial College London, Professor Neil Ferguson, conveyed the startling possibility that as many as 10,000 people may have already been infected by the new strain of coronavirus, which is as deadly as the “Spanish flu epidemic”. He indicated that the UK might have already had its first victim of the virulent virus to which humans have no immunity.
Ferguson stated, “There appear to be ‘super-spreading’ events, where one person can infect many others, similar to what was observed with the MERS and SARS coronaviruses. Hospital reports from within China, particularly Wuhan City, indicate overwhelming cases of suspected infections.” He anticipates a substantial rise in case numbers in the coming days and weeks.
To contain a potential outbreak, the UK’s Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, announced stringent measures, stating, “We want to stay ahead of the issue, so we are keeping a very close eye on it.”
Dr. Nick Phin, the deputy director of Public Health England, emphasized the rapidly evolving situation and the low current risk to the UK. He recommended precautions for individuals traveling to Wuhan and outlined protocols for seeking medical attention upon developing respiratory symptoms post-travel.
Enhanced monitoring will be implemented for direct flights from Wuhan to the UK, with information provided by passengers to be relayed to public health teams for further assessments upon landing.
Notably, the United States has reported its first case, while cases have also been recorded in Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Efforts are underway to develop a vaccine to curtail the spread of the disease, but it may take over a year for it to become available.
The novel coronavirus, which causes cold-like symptoms, has led to 17 confirmed deaths in China, with official cases surpassing 440 in the last 24 hours, as reported by the country’s National Health Commission.