Primary school in Derbyshire closes after a ‘confirmed coronavirus’ case

Two more cases of the killer coronavirus have today been confirmed in the UK, both of them travellers who caught the virus in Europe – including one who is believed to have returned from a hotel in Tenerife where 160 Britons are quarantined.

It comes amid an escalating crisis on the continent that has left Britain engulfed with fear and confusion.

Department of Health chiefs refused to confirm where in Britain each unidentified patient was diagnosed, but revealed one had caught the deadly virus in Italy.

The other patient, believed to be the parent of a child at Burbage Primary School in Derbyshire, was infected in Tenerife. It’s thought they stayed at the four-star Costa Adeje Palace Hotel, where hundreds of holidaymakers are currently being quarantined because of an outbreak. 

The school closed today for a deep clean after the headteacher said a parent caught the killer coronavirus. Officials refused to confirm if they were one of the two cases. However, the local GP surgery has also closed, saying it has a confirmed a case of the deadly infection, which has infected more than 82,000 people across the world and killed 2,800. 

Germany and France today warned of the ‘start of an epidemic’, as Europe scrambles to contain a coronavirus outbreak spreading from Italy across the continent. Denmark, Estonia, Switzerland, Romania, North Macedonia, Greece, Norway and Georgia have all recorded their first cases in the last two days.

England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty confirmed the new cases today. He said: ‘Two further patients in England have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of UK cases to 15.

‘The virus was passed on in Italy and Tenerife and the patients have been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres in Royal Liverpool Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital, London.’

Health chiefs did not confirm when the patients had returned to the UK, raising fears they may have passed the virus on. Thousands of British families jetted off to Europe last week for half-term breaks, with northern Italy and Tenerife popular destinations. 

At least 160 British travellers have been holed up in the four-star Costa Adeje Palace Hotel in Tenerife, after Spanish authorities padlocked its doors when four guests from Italy tested positive. British holidaymakers have pleaded with Boris Johnson to ‘come rescue us’. The Sun also reported that one of the patients was the Derbyshire parent and that they had been to the hotel.

Fifteen cases of the deadly infection have now been confirmed on British soil – until today all of them had been linked to the Far East. The virus has yet to spread between humans in the UK.

Coronavirus chaos has gripped Britain, with the UK now waking up to the fact the outbreak is an impending crisis and no longer just an issue in Asia as cases in Italy continue to accelerate. Growing fears have led to big businesses being shut down, sporting events postponed and families across the home nations stockpiling nappies and soup.

Leading scientists have said the new cases ‘are not surprising’ and today called for the public to ‘keep calm’ and wash their hands with soap and water, as well as use and bin tissues to catch any coughs and sneezes. 

Across the UK, at least 13 schools have closed over fears of the virus spreading while at least 20 more have sent pupils and teachers home for a fortnight after coming down with colds and coughs after ski trips to coronavirus-hit Italy over half term. 

Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s private school last night became the latest to send pupils home for coronavirus isolation. Four pupils at the Thomas’s Battersea school in southwest London were sent home and are awaiting test results. 

But Public Health England (PHE) said that its general advice is not to close schools – a message echoed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. However, some headteachers have taken evasive action and shut down schools after staff and students came down with ‘mild flu-like symptoms’ after returning from the Alps. 

In other developments to the escalating coronavirus crisis:

• Microsoft issued a financial warning as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts its Chinese supply chain for Windows and Surface devices
• The London Stock Exchange dropped to a new 13-month low and traders warned that the coronavirus could lead to ‘anaemic global growth’
• Standard Chartered warned the coronavirus outbreak, as well as other factors including political unrest in Hong Kong, look set to deliver a big hit to its bottom line
• Restaurants warned of a slump in bookings because of fears more cases in the UK, which is also causing a shortage of wedding dresses
• Employers were urged not to shut offices as Mr Hancock warned an ‘over-reaction’ to the spate of cases in the UK could harm the economy
• The Health Secretary also announced plans to extend home-testing for the coronavirus, stopping suspected patients from needing to travel and potentially spreading the virus 
• Insurers slammed by doctors for demanding sick notes for travellers trying to get a refund and cancel trips to countries with coronavirus outbreaks
• Saudi Arabia banned religious pilgrims from visiting Mecca or Medina to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the Kingdom
• Organisers of the Australian Grand Prix announced the race will go ahead next month despite the continuing global concern over the spread of coronavirus
• Private schools are being urged not to overreact to the coronavirus crisis because parents will demand their money back if they close or send students home
• Germany warned of the ‘start of an epidemic’ as Europe scrambles to contain a coronavirus outbreak spreading from Italy across the continent 
• NHS chiefs launched a public coronavirus campaign telling people to wash their hands for 20 seconds before eating and after using public transport
• 160 British tourists trapped in a Tenerife hotel at the centre of coronavirus scare slammed the ‘absolutely awful’ response by the Government 
• Cases of the killer coronavirus have now been recorded on every continent except Antarctica, after Brazil yesterday confirmed South America’s first infection
• Ireland’s rugby match against Italy on Saturday was postponed amid fears Italian fans could bring the virus to Dublin

The two new cases were confirmed after parents of pupils at Burbage Primary School in Buxton, Derbyshire, were told the school would be closed on Thursday due to a ‘confirmed case of coronavirus amongst our parent population’.

Burbage Primary School, in Buxton, which has 350 pupils, sent a message to parents via WhatsApp on Wednesday night saying the decision had been taken as a ‘precautionary measure and to enable a deep clean to be completed’.

The Buxton Medical Practice was shut this morning, and patients ringing to book an appointment were told that it was because an infected patient had visited the GP surgery – despite official advice not to.

A telephone message told patients: ‘We have a confirmed case if coronavirus, we are currently liaising with Public Health England and the CCG to ensure all appropriate actions are taken. Please do not come to the practice, if you need medical attention call NHS 111.’

The decision to close Burbage Primary School, which has 350 pupils, had been taken as a ‘precautionary measure’, according to a WhatsApp message sent to parents by headteacher Anthony Tierney.

The message read: ‘Dear parents and carers, due to a confirmed case of coronavirus amongst our parent population, Burbage Primary School will be CLOSED tomorrow (Thursday 27 February 2020) as a precautionary measure and to enable a deep clean to be completed. A further update will be shared tomorrow. Thank you.’ 

Mr Tierney was on site early this morning to deal with concerned parents, who were last night panicked after receiving the message which was sent out just before 11pm last night. Many complained about the lack of a full explanation as to whether the infected parent has actually been on the school premises.  

Professor Whitty yesterday admitted that school closures are a future possibility if the coronavirus takes hold in the UK, after Mr Hancock said they don’t need to shut for suspected cases.  

Contradictory messages from the government have led to widespread confusion and caused headteachers to take matters into their own hands and defy official advice. 

In separate guidance yesterday, Mr Hancock urged British employers not to shut their offices. He warned an ‘over-reaction’ to the handful of cases recorded in the UK could harm the economy.

He also confirmed anyone who has to self-isolate because of coronavirus will get paid sick leave. Guidance was sent to UK employers, informing them staff who are asked to quarantine themselves are entitled to sick leave. 

It comes as British holidaymakers have pleaded with Boris Johnson to ‘come rescue us’ after being contained in the Costa Adeje Palace Hotel due to a coronavirus outbreak.

Frustrated guests said they were desperate to return home amid a chaotic attempt to control COVID-19 from spreading. At least 160 British travellers have been holed up in the four-star resort after Spanish authorities padlocked its doors when four guests from Italy tested positive.

But British guests yesterday voiced their frustration at the ‘absolutely awful’ situation and said they had been given conflicting information about how long the enforced stay would last.

As the Foreign Office began contacting Britons last night telling them they must remain at the hotel until March 10, some complained that staying putt placed them at increased risk.

Mandy Davis, who is on holiday with her husband Roger, said: ‘Nobody knows what the right thing to do is, because nobody’s had this virus before. So please, let’s sort something out, come and rescue us please, Boris. And let’s just get the hell out of here.’ 

It comes as a Briton suspected of having coronavirus after returning from Italy claims he was left coughing in a packed NHS hospital waiting room without a mask – sparking fears the UK is not prepared for an outbreak.

Paul Godfrey, from Walsall, West Midlands, sat in the foyer ‘for 10 minutes’ among sick, old and frail members of the public before panicked medics in hazmat suits whisked him into a cubicle and tested him for the killer virus. 

He was wrongly told to go to hospital by NHS 111 operators after returning from Milan on Friday and developing flu-like symptoms the following day. 

That advice contradicts official infection control guidelines which state anybody suspected of having the highly contagious illness should self-isolate immediately and avoid coming into contact with others. 

In other developments, restaurants in Britain have warned of a slump in bookings as the coronavirus outbreak continues to sweep across the world. 

The owner of Clifford’s, an upmarket restaurant in central London, claimed to have 26 cancellations yesterday, telling The Times most were because of concerns of the virus spreading in crowded places. 

The newspaper also reported that a seafood restaurant in Edinburgh had also been affected but that sources in the British hospitality industry have yet to see an impact elsewhere in the UK.

It comes as the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips and husband Mike Tindall have reportedly opted not to quarantine themselves because they are not showing symptoms.

They have returned from a ski trip in Bormio, Lombardy – one of Italy’s worst-hit regions. Mr Tindall – a former England rugby player – shared several photos of their trip last week.

In other developments, the London stock market fell to a 13-month low today as coronavirus fears continue to grip investors with shares also slumping across Asia.

The FTSE 100 index of the UK’s biggest listed companies has now fallen more than 7 per cent in the past four days, and fell 2.6 per cent in early trading on Thursday.

The losses mirrored earlier slumps in Asia with Japan’s Nikkei 225 index falling 2.1 per cent and the Kospi in South Korea, where 334 new cases of the virus were reported, dropped one per cent.

The losses continue a dire week on the global markets with US stocks suffering the worst two-day losing streak in two years on Monday and Tuesday. 

Microsoft today issued a financial warning as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts its Chinese supply chain for Windows and Surface devices.

The Washington-based tech firm has cautioned it will not reach the sales predictions for this quarter that it had issued to investors last month as production hits delays.

Sales had previously been anticipated at between $10.75 billion–$11.15 billion (£8.33 billion–£8.64 billion). Microsoft has not yet provided a revised estimate. 

Standard Chartered has warned that the coronavirus outbreak, political unrest in Hong Kong, sluggish global economic growth and low interest rates look set to deliver a big hit to its bottom line.

The Asia-focused FTSE 100 firm said the ‘external shocks’ meant its income growth would end up lower than its medium-term forecast of between 5 and 7 per cent.

In other global developments, it has been announced that the Australian Grand Prix will go ahead next month despite the continuing global concern over the spread of coronavirus, it has been announced.

The Chinese Grand Prix, which was scheduled for April, has already been cancelled amid growing fears about the virus but F1 chief Chase Carey has announced it is ‘all systems go’ for the rest of the calendar.  

‘Come and rescue us, Boris!’ British tourists trapped in Tenerife hotel at centre of coronavirus scare slam ‘absolutely awful’ response – but panic doesn’t stop some holidaymakers making the most of their time in the sun 

A ‘frightened’ British mother trapped in a coronavirus -stricken Tenerife hotel said today that guests are ignoring quarantine rules and she fears it is likely to become another Diamond Princess cruise ship disaster.

Lara Pennington, 45, from Manchester, who is on holiday with her two young sons and elderly in-laws, said guests at the Costa Adeje Palace Hotel are failing to follow measures to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

‘The Spanish government were advising that if we wanted to we could leave our rooms as long as we were wearing masks and washing hands,’ she told GMB.

‘It’s clearly apparent there are large numbers who are not following that process. Containment strategy is clearly not working, it was never going to work. It should be an enforced quarantine,’ she added. 

Mrs Pennington said she has decided to self-isolate her family in the hotel room to ensure they don’t catch the disease, which has already claimed the lives of 2,771 people worldwide.

Mrs Pennington is one of at least 160 Britons holed up in the four-star Costa Adeje Palace Hotel resort after Spanish authorities padlocked its doors when four guests from Italy tested positive yesterday.

She told GMB this morning that her family has still to be tested for the illness and had only been provided with thermometers to check whether they were are infected.

‘We’re not being looked after in terms of our vulnerability,’ she said. ‘We are frightened.’

Yesterday, Mrs Pennington spoke of the guests’ ‘scary’ response to the outbreak, claiming many were still out by the pool, ‘spreading the virus’.

‘I feel there are lessons that should have been learned from the cruise ship [Diamond Princess],’ she said.

Japan has faced mounting criticism of its handling of the Diamond Princess ship after a failed effort to quarantine passengers on board. One positive test led to almost 700 infections and four deaths.

Foreign governments eventually decided to repatriate their citizens on special evacuation flights after it became clear the virus was spreading freely on board.

In total, 970 people were allowed off the boat last week after testing negative for the virus, but several have subsequently been diagnosed with the illness.

Yesterday, guests at the Costa Adeje told of the ‘absolutely awful’ situation they were in and said they had been given conflicting information about how long the enforced stay would last.

The Foreign Office began contacting guests last night to say they must remain at the hotel until March 10.

Mandy Davis, who is on holiday with her husband Roger, said: ‘Nobody knows what the right thing to do is, because nobody’s had this virus before.

‘So please, let’s sort something out, come and rescue us please, Boris. And let’s just get the hell out of here.’

Rosie Mitford, who is on holiday with her father and brother, only arrived at the hotel on Monday when the four Italians who tested positive had already left.

The 18-year-old nursing student said: ‘We want to come home now. We don’t see the point of staying here for two weeks when none of us have symptoms and then isolating when we get back.