British hospitals warned to expect an influx of patients because of the coronavirus
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The NHS has told hospitals in the United Kingdom they have two days to create “priority assessment pods” for those suspected of having coronavirus.
Hospitals are also being warned to expect an influx of patients because of the virus.
The NHS strategic incident director for coronavirus, Professor Keith Willett, said in a letter to hospitals that the plans needed to be put in place to avoid a “surge in emergency departments due to coronavirus”.
The letter was seen by Sky News.
Those suspected of having the virus will be kept isolated and apart from other patients at A&E services, so that an assessment can be made about their health.
The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths in mainland China has risen to 563, with the majority in central Hubei province, where the illness was first detected.
– Hong Kong and the Philippines have both reported one death.
– The new virus has infected more than 28,200 people globally.
– 5,400 people aboard two cruise ships are stranded off the coasts of Japan and Hong Kong after passengers tested positive for coronavirus.
An update on the global figures related to the virus shows Japan as having the most infection cases outside of China, primarily due to the 20 positive tests emerging from the cruise ship in the port of Yokohama. Japan has reported 45 infections so far, with that number expected to increase significantly as the screening of passengers continues.
Singapore has so far documented 28 cases, Thailand 25 and South Korea 23. The number of infections in Germany has held stable in recent days, with 12 cases currently confirmed.
