The first case of coronavirus has been diagnosed in London, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to nine.
The patient, understood to be a woman, contracted the illness in China but was diagnosed after flying into a London airport, making it the first instance of coronavirus in the capital, according to the Standard UK.
She is now being treated at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London.
Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty confirmed the most recent case of the virus, also known as Covid-19, in a statement on Wednesday evening.
He said: “One further patient in England has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases in the UK to nine.
“This virus was passed on in China and the patient has now been transferred to a specialist NHS centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in London.”
The latest case comes as the quarantine of 83 people in Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, Merseyside, are expected to be lifted on Thursday after they all tested negative for the covid-19 strain of the coronavirus.
A government spokesman said the “quarantine is expected to end tomorrow” but declined to comment on the test results of the patients.
