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Coronavirus: Britons returning from northern Italy told to self-isolate Coronavirus: Britons returning from northern Italy told to self-isolate
(about 1 hour later)
Britons returning from northern Italy are being told to self-isolate in the UK if they show coronavirus symptoms.Britons returning from northern Italy are being told to self-isolate in the UK if they show coronavirus symptoms.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people with flu-like symptoms coming back from north of Pisa are asked to stay at home for 14 days. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people with flu-like symptoms who have been north of Pisa are asked to stay at home for 14 days.
The advice also applies to anyone who recently returned from Italy's quarantined towns even if they have no symptoms, he said.The advice also applies to anyone who recently returned from Italy's quarantined towns even if they have no symptoms, he said.
Italy has put several towns in Lombardy and Veneto into lockdown.Italy has put several towns in Lombardy and Veneto into lockdown.
Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast that "those who have been to northern Italy - north of Pisa - if they have flu-like symptoms should self-isolate".
He added: "If people have been to the affected areas that the Italian government have quarantined then they should self-isolate whether or not they have symptoms."
Mr Hancock said he was not aware of any British citizens currently in the Italian quarantine area, where 50,000 residents have been told they cannot leave for two weeks without special permission.Mr Hancock said he was not aware of any British citizens currently in the Italian quarantine area, where 50,000 residents have been told they cannot leave for two weeks without special permission.
But he said if any UK citizens are in the lockdown towns, they should contact the embassy in Rome.But he said if any UK citizens are in the lockdown towns, they should contact the embassy in Rome.
The change in advice means that the Italian towns under containment measures are now in the same category as Wuhan in China, where the coronavirus outbreak began. In Italy, 229 people have tested positive for the virus and seven have died, with police manning checkpoints around a dozen quarantined northern towns.
Northern Italy joins Asian countries such as Japan and Singapore in the category of countries where travellers are advised to self-isolate and call NHS 111 if they develop symptoms. Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast that "those who have been to northern Italy - north of Pisa - if they have flu-like symptoms should self-isolate".
He added: "If people have been to the affected areas that the Italian government have quarantined then they should self-isolate whether or not they have symptoms."
The updated advice means people returning from Italian towns under containment measures, or in Iran, parts of South Korea and Hubei province in China - where the outbreak began - are being asked to call NHS 111, stay indoors and avoid contact with others, even if they do not have symptoms.
Anyone coming back from northern Italy and several Asian countries affected by the virus is advised to self-isolate and call NHS 111 if they develop symptoms.
The NHS says the symptoms of Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, are a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath - but they could also indicate other common illnesses such as a cold or flu.The NHS says the symptoms of Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, are a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath - but they could also indicate other common illnesses such as a cold or flu.
Approximately three million British nationals visit Italy every year, where coronavirus cases rose from three to 229 over four days. Some travellers suggested authorities were too slow to update the advice around the outbreak in Italy.
Mr Hancock said the travel advice to Italy has not changed. He said there were no plans to stop flights, after experts advised it would be ineffective. Milly Phillips, a GP from Oxford, told the BBC she developed a flu-like illness on Saturday after returning from Venice two days earlier - but NHS 111 had said Italy was not "on the list" of affected places.
She said: "I've worked for the NHS for 20 years and it's the first time I've been frustrated by the bureaucracy."
Two schools - Brine Leas in Nantwich, Cheshire, and Penair School in Truro, Cornwall - have sent some students and staff home after they recently returned from skiing trips in Italy.
Mr Hancock said the travel advice to Italy, which sees about three million British visitors each year, has not changed.
He said there were no plans to stop flights from the country, after experts advised it would be ineffective.
"If you look at Italy, they stopped all flights from China and they're now the worst affected country in Europe," he said."If you look at Italy, they stopped all flights from China and they're now the worst affected country in Europe," he said.
Major events in northern Italy have been cancelled, cut short or rescheduled, including the Venice Carnival and Bologna book fair.
But insurers told the BBC that they will only pay compensation when the Foreign Office advises against all travel or all but essential travel to the area.
'We expect more cases''We expect more cases'
Meanwhile, a hotel in Tenerife has also been locked down with up to 1,000 guests inside after a visiting Italian doctor tested positive for the coronavirus.
After the World Health Organization warned that countries should do more to prepare for a possible pandemic, the health secretary said that the UK had already done "a huge amount of work".After the World Health Organization warned that countries should do more to prepare for a possible pandemic, the health secretary said that the UK had already done "a huge amount of work".
"Once it gets to that point there isn't a way to stop it coming into the UK in a big way," he said. "Once it gets to that point there isn't a way to stop it coming into the UK in a big way," Mr Hancock said.
"It is not yet clear that it will become a pandemic - the number of cases in China has been slowing over the last couple of weeks and we are relatively confident that information is correct.""It is not yet clear that it will become a pandemic - the number of cases in China has been slowing over the last couple of weeks and we are relatively confident that information is correct."
He said if other countries where the number of cases are growing "get their response right", there is still the possibility that the outbreak will remain small in the UK. Prof Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said a combination of "being lucky" and measures that the UK put in place had been "paying off" in keeping the number of cases low.
Mr Hancock said: "We still expect more cases but at the moment there are 13 cases in the UK." "It's really gaining time to a large extent, so that we can be better prepared," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Mr Hancock said if other countries where the number of cases are growing "get their response right", there is still the possibility that the outbreak will remain small in the UK.
He said: "We still expect more cases but at the moment there are 13 cases in the UK."
The latest cases in the UK were four passengers who returned from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had been quarantined in Japan.The latest cases in the UK were four passengers who returned from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had been quarantined in Japan.
They were among 30 Britons and two Irish citizens who arrived at Arrowe Park Hospital for two weeks of isolation on Saturday. They were among 30 Britons and two Irish citizens who arrived at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral for two weeks of isolation on Saturday.
How has coronavirus affected your trip in Italy? Have you recently returned from one of Italy's quarantined towns? If so, get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.How has coronavirus affected your trip in Italy? Have you recently returned from one of Italy's quarantined towns? If so, get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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