Medical workers in protective suits attend to novel coronavirus patients in the ICU of a designated hospital in Wuhan, February 6, 2020. China Daily via REUTERS
Twelve fresh coronavirus cases have been confirmed in England, totalling the number of confirmed cases in the UK to 35.
In a statement on Saturday, Chris Whitty, UK chief medical officer, said three among the new patients were close contacts of a known case.
He said six of the patients had recently travelled from Italy while two returned from Iran.
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“Three patients were close contacts of a known case, transmitted in the UK, identified as part of contact tracing,” the statement read.
“One patient, resident in Essex, had no relevant travel and it is not yet clear whether they contracted it directly or indirectly from an individual who had recently returned from abroad; investigations are ongoing.
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“Of the remaining eight cases, six had revently travelled from Italy and two from Iran. The patients who have recently travelled are from London, West Yorkshire, Great Manchester, Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire. All are being investigated and contract tracing has begun.
“The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 33. Following previously reported confirmed cases in Northern Ireland and Wales, the total number of UK cases is 35.”
A case of coronavirus was recently confirmed in Wales after the patient who had travelled back from Northern Italy, where he contracted the virus, visited the country.
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