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Matt Hancock clarifies coronavirus travel advice after criticism Matt Hancock clarifies coronavirus travel advice after criticism
(32 minutes later)
Health secretary gives statement to Commons on latest advice on travel to ItalyHealth secretary gives statement to Commons on latest advice on travel to Italy
The health secretary, Matt Hancock, has clarified advice on travel to Italy following the coronavirus deaths in the north of the country after he was accused of creating confusion for British tourists.The health secretary, Matt Hancock, has clarified advice on travel to Italy following the coronavirus deaths in the north of the country after he was accused of creating confusion for British tourists.
On Tuesday, when asked whether he would travel to the Lombardy region, he said: “I’m not planning to go, put it that way.” On Tuesday, when asked whether he would travel to the Lombardy region, he said: “I’m not planning to go, put it that way.” His comments attracted criticism that he was contradicting official UK government advice that people should only avoid travel to towns in Lombardy that are under confinement.
His comments attracted criticism that he was contradicting official UK government advice that people should only avoid travel to towns in Lombardy that are under confinement.
Giving an update to MPs on Wednesday, Hancock was asked by the shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth, about the “discrepancy”.Giving an update to MPs on Wednesday, Hancock was asked by the shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth, about the “discrepancy”.
Hancock replied: “All but essential travel is not recommended to the quarantined areas in northern Italy and the advice for those returning from northern Italy is very clear, which is if you are coming back from the quarantined areas then please self-isolate and if you’re coming back from the whole of northern Italy then please self isolate if you have symptoms. I hope that advice is clear.” Hancock replied: “All but essential travel is not recommended to the quarantined areas in northern Italy and the advice for those returning from northern Italy is very clear, which is if you are coming back from the quarantined areas then please self-isolate and if you’re coming back from the whole of northern Italy then please self-isolate if you have symptoms. I hope that advice is clear.”
Hancock also told the House of Commons that a wider public information scheme is to be rolled out in the UK as the World Health Organization said that for the first time there had been more new detections of covid-19 outside China than inside the country Hancock also told the House of Commons that a wider public information scheme is to be rolled out in the UK as the World Health Organization said that for the first time there had been more new detections of Covid-19 outside China than inside the country.
“The public can be assured that we have a clear plan to contain, delay, research and mitigate,” Hancock told MPs. “The public can be assured that we have a clear plan to contain, delay, research and mitigate,” Hancock told MPs. He said the government was currently in the “contain” phase but had plans in place should a pandemic take hold and warned people not to overreact, urging schools to stay open.
He said the government is currently in the “contain” phase but has plans in place should a pandemic take hold and warned people not to overreact, urging schools to stay open. Several schools in the UK were closed on Wednesday and others sent pupils home, amid fears students may have been infected on ski trips to Italy, despite updated advice from the Department for Education and Public Health England (PHE) saying children should only self-isolate if they have symptoms.
Several schools in the UK were closed on Wednesday and others sent pupils home, amid fears students may have been infected on recent ski trips to Italy, despite updated advice from the Department for Education and Public Health England saying children should only self-isolate if they have symptoms.
Cransley school in Northwich, Cheshire, and Trinity Catholic college in Middlesbrough have said they will be shut for the rest of the week to carry out a deep clean. The latter said a small number of staff and pupils had started showing mild flu-like symptoms following their trip.Cransley school in Northwich, Cheshire, and Trinity Catholic college in Middlesbrough have said they will be shut for the rest of the week to carry out a deep clean. The latter said a small number of staff and pupils had started showing mild flu-like symptoms following their trip.
Lutton St Nicholas and Gedney Church End primary schools in Lincolnshire also said they had closed because of “a potential connection to the coronavirus by an individual within the school” and St Christopher’s C of E high school in Accrington shut its doors too. Lutton St Nicholas and Gedney Church End primary schools in Lincolnshire said they had closed because of “a potential connection to the coronavirus by an individual within the school” and St Christopher’s C of E high school in Accrington also shut its doors.
Students returning from ski trips were told to stay at home by individual schools in Cornwall, Huddersfield, Cheshire and Liverpool. Sandbach high school in Cheshire said students and staff who visited Aprica, in Lombardy, one of Italy’s most infected regions, although the town is not under containment, were to stay indoors and self-isolate. Students returning from ski trips were told to stay at home by individual schools in Cornwall, Huddersfield, Cheshire and Liverpool. Sandbach high school in Cheshire said students and staff who visited Aprica in Lombardy, one of Italy’s worst-hit regions – though the town itself is not under containment – were to stay indoors and self-isolate.
The medical director of Public Health England, Paul Cosford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Schools have to take difficult decisions given the complexity of issues that they are facing. The PHE medical director, Paul Cosford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Schools have to take difficult decisions given the complexity of issues that they are facing. What I would say is that our general advice is not to close schools.”
“What I would say is that our general advice is not to close schools.” He said students should self-isolate only if they had symptoms or had travelled to one of the Italian towns under containment.
He said that students should self-isolate only if they had symptoms or had travelled to one of the Italian towns under containment. In Canary Wharf, a major financial district of London, the US oil company Chevron asked about 300 staff to work from home as a precaution on Wednesday after an employee reported flu-like symptoms having recently visited a country where coronavirus has been detected.
In Canary Wharf, a major financial district of London, the US oil company Chevron sent about 300 staff to work from home as a precaution on Wednesday after an employee reported flu-like symptoms, having recently visited a country where coronavirus has been detected. Fears of the wider impact of Covid-19 on the world economy caused stock markets and oil markets to plummet on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 index and oil prices both hitting their lowest levels for a year. The falls came as the number of coronavirus infections, deaths and countries affected all increased.
Fears of the wider impact of Covid-19 on the world economy, caused stock markets and oil markets to plummet on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 index and oil prices both hitting their lowest levels for a year. The falls came as the number of coronavirus infections, deaths and countries affected all increased.
Greece and Brazil both reported their first cases, the latter being the first in Latin America. The 38-year-old Greek woman and 61-year-old Brazilian man were both reported to have returned recently from northern Italy. A 12th person – a 69-year-old man – has died in Italy, while the number of confirmed cases leapt by more than 50 to to 374.Greece and Brazil both reported their first cases, the latter being the first in Latin America. The 38-year-old Greek woman and 61-year-old Brazilian man were both reported to have returned recently from northern Italy. A 12th person – a 69-year-old man – has died in Italy, while the number of confirmed cases leapt by more than 50 to to 374.
Iran reported 44 new cases and four more deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths in the Islamic Republic to 19 – second only to China – and infections to 139. South Korea has announced 284 new cases, including a US soldier, and another death, making the totals to date 1,261 and 12 respectively. Iran reported 44 new cases and four more deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths in the Islamic Republic to 19 – second only to China – and infections to 139. South Korea has announced 284 new cases, including a US soldier, and another death, making the totals to date 1,261 cases and 12 deaths.
Mainland China reported its lowest daily death toll in more than three weeks, with 52 fatalities on Tuesday, taking the total number in the country to 2,715 deaths, with 78,064 cases in all.Mainland China reported its lowest daily death toll in more than three weeks, with 52 fatalities on Tuesday, taking the total number in the country to 2,715 deaths, with 78,064 cases in all.