Priti Patel – No confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK
Niall Paterson took over the reins from Sophy Ridge this morning and began by speaking to the Home Secretary Priti Patel. The first item on the agenda was the outbreak of coronavirus in China, which has so far claimed the lives of 56 people and potentially infected as many as 2,000. There have been concerns that the virus may enter the UK, with five people having been tested in Scotland. However, Patel confirmed that all five had been given the all-clear:
Home Secretary @patel4witham says there are currently no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK #Ridge pic.twitter.com/BJfTUhKJ1g
— Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge (@SkyPoliticsHub) January 26, 2020
NP: As of this point… [there are] no confirmed cases of coronavirus?
PP: That’s right. That’s absolutely right.
We’re ‘looking at all options’ for Brits in China
Paterson then asked Patel about newspaper reports that the government was considering evacuating British citizens in China to safety, likely by offering airlifts to around 200 people otherwise stranded in the predominantly affected city of Wuhan.
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