None tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 but the extraordinary figure - the highest in a day so far - reflects growing public anxiety in the UK, where nine cases of the virus have been confirmed.
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Coronavirus fears grip Britain as officials reveal nearly 1,500 people were tested for the deadly infection in one day
By Stephen Matthews Health Editor For Mailonline and Sam Blanchard Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 11:03 EST, 17 February 2020 | Updated: 12:08 EST, 17 February 2020
- None of the 1,392 newly tested patients in the UK were positive for SARS-CoV-2
- But the extraordinary figure, the highest daily toll, reflects growing public fears
- More than 71,000 people have now caught the virus, and almost 1,800 have died
Coronavirus fears have gripped Britain with officials carrying out tests for the killer virus on 1,400 more people across the home nations.
None tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 but the extraordinary figure – the highest in a day so far – reflects growing public anxiety.
More than 4,500 people have now been tested in the UK. Only nine patients have been diagnosed with the never-before-seen virus on British soil.
Health officials fear more cases will crop up, with leading scientists warning hopes of stopping a outbreak are 'fading by the day'.
More than 71,000 people have now caught the virus, including nine in the UK. And nearly 1,800 across the world have died.
Department of Health figures show 4,501 have been tested – up from the 3,109 that had been swabbed for the virus yesterday.
Public Health England earlier this month announced thousands of patients across the UK would be tested for coronavirus every day.
Precautions were taken up a notch after a third British person – the 'super-spreader' Steve Walsh – tested positive on February 6.
Twelve laboratories in the UK now have the capacity to analyse swabs taken from suspected patients, up from just one in the early days of the outbreak.
All but one of the nine UK patients who tested positive for the coronavirus were discharged from hospital on Saturday following two negative tests, NHS England said.
The only patient still in hospital is the ninth case – a Chinese woman who flew into London last weekend and took an Uber to A&E at Lewisham Hospital.
She was taken to St Thomas' Hospital in London, where she is thought to still be receiving treatment. It is unclear when she will be released.
Steve Walsh, the Brighton coronavirus 'super-spreader' who accidentally infected 11 people staying in the same French ski chalet, was the first patient in Britain to be released from hospital.
The 53-year-old scout leader left the isolation unit at St Thomas' Hospital in London on February 12. He picked up the deadly disease at a Singapore business conference last month and inadvertently spread it on his 6,736-mile journey home to Hove via the Alps.
Discussing the release of the eight patients, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was 'pleased' they were successfully treated and discharged from hospital.
It comes after Sir Richard Branson last night claimed he is in talks with the Government about rescuing 74 Britons stuck on board a cruise ship plagued by coronavirus.
A couple trapped onboard The Diamond Princess last Friday begged the billionaire to help and asked how much it would cost to repatriate the group.
Sir Richard last night revealed his airline Virgin Atlantic was 'in discussions' with UK officials over whether it could help the stranded Brits.
Ministers are considering 'all options' to repatriate the Brits on board the ship, which has been docked off the coast of Yokohama since February 3.
But pressure is mounting on Number 10 to take action, with furious Brits quarantined on board saying they feel abandoned and 'forgotten'.
One passenger even told Prime Minister Boris Johnson it was 'about time' he stepped in. The US has already evacuated 340 citizens on two cargo planes.
Sir Richard was asked on Twitter to help David and Sally Abel, the couple on board the Diamond Princess who appealed for his help on Valentine's Day.
He replied: 'Virgin Atlantic does not fly to Japan, but we are in discussions with the UK government and seeing if there is anything we can do to help.'
The Foreign Office, which handled the three British evacuation flights out of Wuhan, has yet to give an official update on the situation.
Officials are thought to be considering bringing the holidaymakers home or sending them into a 14-day quarantine on the Japanese mainland.
Last week, Mr Abel, from Daventry in Northamptonshire, appealed to Sir Richard to charter a special plane to rescue British nationals from the ship.
Mr Abel made the appeal during a Facebook live video, in which the 'staunch Tory' admitted he had 'no confidence' in Mr Johnson.
He said: 'When he [Mr Johnson] just says "keep calm, don't panic" - I'd like to see you in this situation, mate. I really would.'
In a video posted on Valentine's Day, Mr Abel added: 'So, Richard Branson, I want to ask you a question, pal.
'If you and your family were in this situation, what would you do? And please don't say 'chill out, stay calm', that's not what we want to hear.
'I'm asking, what would it cost to hire one of your smaller planes, put all the Brits onboard, no flight attendants, packaged food?
'Take us to Brize Norton, take us straight into the medical facility and let us do our quarantine there by people who can speak our language.'
'I'm serious, Richard Branson, absolutely serious. I think he is the man, he's not afraid to speak his mind. He's the guy who could resolve this for the Brits.'
The British Government was accused of 'dragging its feet' for its delay in confirming details of the first evacuation flight, which went ahead on January 31.
Government sources blamed Beijing for holding up efforts to repatriate 200 expats stuck in the deserted Chinese city.
This was despite the US and Japan launching rescue missions before officials had even confirmed its first of three flights.
There were around 3,700 people on the Diamond Princess when it sailed into Japan more than two weeks ago.
But more than one in 10 of them have since been diagnosed with the coronavirus, which is officially known as SARS-CoV-2.
The virus appears to have been spreading on board despite passengers being told to stay in their cabins.
It is spread by coughs, sneezes and potentially even through inhaling the breath of someone who has the illness.
A confined environment like a cruise ship, where people spend weeks at a time in close quarters with one another, could be a hotbed for such an illness to spread.
In total, 519 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in Japan – 454 of these have been among passengers of the Diamond Princess.
Anyone confirmed to have the illness has been taken to a hospital on the Japanese mainland. So far, none of the patients have died of the infection.
The US yesterday took 340 of its citizens to Travis Air Force Base near Sacramento, California, and Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas.
And a Holiday Inn near Heathrow airport has been closed for public bookings and will become a coronavirus quarantine centre, it emerged today.
The Department of Health today confirmed the £80-a-night ($105) hotel is block-booked 'for as long as it is needed' – until at least March.
Officials have confirmed the hotel will be used as a quarantine zone for any travellers to Heathrow who have tell-tale coronavirus symptoms.
It could also be used for Britons who are evacuated back to the UK from overseas, such as those on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship.
The Government has already used a hotel in Milton Keynes as an isolation centre for 105 expats rescued from the deserted Chinese city of Wuhan.
An NHS accommodation block at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral was the only other designated zone for suspected SARS-CoV-2 patients.
More than 71,000 people have now caught the virus, including nine in the UK – one of whom is still in hospital. Nearly 1,800 across the world have died.
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