Two cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the United Kingdom.
In a statement on Friday, Chris Witty, chief medical officer for England, said the patients are members of the same family.
Whitty added that the patients are currently receiving specialist care to prevent further spread of the virus.
“We can confirm that two patients in England, who are members of the same family, have tested positive for coronavirus. The patients are receiving specialist NHS care, and we are using tried and tested infection control procedures to prevent further spread of the Virus, ” he said.
“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 Organization and the international community as the outbreak in China develops to ensure we are ready for all eventualities.”
On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global emergency on the disease as the death toll rose to 170 in China where it all started.
According to WHO, 7,843 people have been quarantined in China while 68 cases have been reported around the world.
Cases of the disease have been confirmed in Australia, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, US and Vietnam.
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