UK coronavirus – TWELVE schools on infection alert as teachers and pupils told to quarantine themselves
TWELVE schools have been placed on coronavirus infection alert as teachers and pupils are told to quarantine themselves — amid frantic efforts to stop it spiralling out of control.
Over fears the deadly disease is spreading, panicked parents pulled kids out of Cottesmore St Mary's Catholic and Bevendean Primary School in Brighton yesterday morning.
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Elsewhere, within a short walking distance, its sister school Balfour Primary also released the same statement.
Teachers at Hangleton Primary School also warned that a family were self-isolating over fears they might have caught the killer flu.
Brighton has become the epicentre of the virus after a cub Scout leader — dubbed the coronavirus “super-spreader” — unwittingly brought it into the UK last month following a business trip to Singapore.
Stephen Walsh, 53, from Hove, may have spread the virus to dozens of people without suffering any symptoms himself.
At Portslade Aldridge Community Academy, a pupil was advised to self-isolate for a fortnight after having contact with Mr Walsh.
It was confirmed today, however, that the student does not have the virus.
Petrified parents at Cottesmore St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Hove told of their shock yesterday morning after learning two pupils – thought to be Mr Walsh’s children – were in quarantine.
Headteachers alerted parents via email to warn them of the potential coronavirus outbreak as staff members were advised to self-isolate after coming into "close contact" with the businessman.
Worried mum Fran Gray, 40, said she rushed 20 miles to pick up her daughter from school after a parent WhatsApp group "went crazy" at the news.
"Everyone is panicking and going crazy," she told Sun Online.
It came as:
- Brit drug kingpin collapses in cell after extradition from Thai prison
- Super spreader Stephen Walsh “absolutely terrified” of being made “national scapegoat”
- Worthing Hospital A&E worker revealed to be one of eight Brits diagnosed with deadly disease
- Two health centres were shut in Brighton and pupils were advised to stay home
- A health centre in Berkshire was closed over fears a patient may have caught the bug
The UK remains on high alert as a growing number of people are tested for the highly contagious virus — labelled Covid-19 by the World Health Organization.
It comes after medics wearing hazmat suits were spotted in universities and health centres across the country.
Just last night, an A&E worker at Worthing Hospital was declared as one of the eight confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
Shockingly, the nurse treated patients for two days before being diagnosed with the disease.
According to reports, Chinese people are being pelted with sickening verbal abuse over the deadly outbreak.
As it stands, two prisoners are awaiting results after being tested for coronavirus yesterday afternoon at HM Prison Bullingdon in Bicester, Oxfordshire.
A mother with a six-year old son at the school said: “I’m still shaking.
"I was going to take my child to school, but then I got the email at 7.10 this morning — I’m just glad I checked."
Dr Catriona Greenwood is thought to be one of the two medics infected — and may have passed the bug on to patients.
It comes after a second doctor's surgery in the city — the Warmdene surgery — linked to the Brighton coronavirus super-spreader, closed yesterday morning.
Dr Greenwood works as a locum at the practise which has since been shut for decontamination as officials scramble to trace patients to be tested.
The surgery is part of the same practise as the County Oak Medical Centre, which was closed while staff in hazmat suits deep cleaned the surgery from top-to-bottom.