Two cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in the UK last week.
The patients are both members of the same family, and were taken into Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham near Hull, just 90 minutes from Lincoln.
The University of Lincoln has issued a statement to all its staff and students, after it was revealed that the virus is more common in university cities due to the influx of international students.
Internal communications at the university have said: “We are continuing to follow the latest guidance and information.”
The statement advises those who have recently travelled back from China to: “Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people. Call NHS 111 to inform them of your symptoms, don’t go to your GP.”
Public Health England (PHE) have said that: “Enhanced monitoring is in place from all direct flights from Wuhan to the UK.”
The Foreign Office has urged UK citizens in China to leave in an attempt to stop the virus spreading further.
Timeline of Coronavirus
- December 31, 2019: World Health Organisation was alerted by China after reports of multiple pneumonia-type illnesses in the city of Wuhan
- January 9, 2020: confirmed that the infection was being caused by a new type of coronavirus.
- January 11: first death confirmed
- January 13: virus spreads abroad, with a case confirmed in Thailand
- January 31: first cases of the coronavirus confirmed in the UK
- February 3: UK government pledges £20m to produce a vaccine for the virus
The number of deaths currently stands at 427 and cases of infection have exceeded 20,000. It is hoped that the vaccine will be ready in early summer.
The outbreak of the coronavirus has been linked to the 2003 epidemic of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus, which killed a total of 774 people in 37 countries.