The first cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK with two members of the same family testing positive, the chief medical officer for England has said.
Later on Friday, Public Health England (PHE) confirmed the two people being treated had been staying in York when they were taken ill.
The pair are being treated by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in its specialist Airborne High Consequences Infectious Disease Centre (HCID).
According to the PA news agency, they travelled to the UK from China recently and are undergoing treatment at the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary.
A spokesperson for the hospital told the Newcastle Chronicle there was no risk to anyone else being treated at the hospital or visiting patients.
Professor Sharon Peacock, director of the National Infection Service at PHE, said the agency was contacting people who had “close contact” with the people taken ill.
“The two cases were staying in York when they became unwell,” she said.
“Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after contact with the confirmed cases.
“This tried and tested method will ensure we are able to minimise any risk to them and the wider public.”
In an earlier statement, chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty, said the patients “are receiving specialist NHS care”.
He added: “The NHS is extremely well-prepared and used to managing infections and we are already working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients had, to prevent further spread.
“We have been preparing for UK cases of novel coronavirus and we have robust infection control measures in place to respond immediately. We are continuing to work closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the international community as the outbreak in China develops to ensure we are ready for all eventualities.”
On Thursday evening the WHO declared coronavirus a global public health emergency.
More than 170 people have died in China and around 7,700 have been infected, with cases detected in countries including the US, Japan and South Korea.
The new virus has now infected more people in China than fell ill during the 2002/03 severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak.
The number of cases has jumped to 7,711, surpassing the 5,327 people diagnosed with Sars. While coronavirus is more infections than Sars, it is not as deadly which killed 774 people.
It comes as ministers said the government will send another plane to coronavirus-hit Wuhan to rescue British citizens if needed.
Families had been told that relatives with Chinese passports would be unable to join them after Chinese officials denied them permission to leave the country.
That decision was reversed hours before the plane was due to depart, but some people did not have time to get to the airport.
The PA news agency understands that the Foreign Office (FCO) is working with EU countries to add British passengers to any rescue flights they may charter back from Wuhan.
After several delays, the evacuation flight left Wuhan at 9.45am local time on Friday, carrying 83 Britons and 27 non-UK nationals, mostly from EU countries.
The flight arrived at the Brize Norton RAF base in Oxfordshire at around 1.30pm.
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove told Sky News on Friday that another plane will be sent if necessary.
He added: “The flight which is in the air at the moment is not the end of our efforts.
“It is only one part that we are doing in order to keep people safe.”
