Nottingham couple could be stuck in China for weeks as flights suspended over coronavirus

They are trying to 'follow the rules' by staying at home, wearing masks and washing their hands.

A couple fear they could be stranded in Shanghai for weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The woman, who works in retail, and her husband, an engineer, are both from Nottingham and have asked to remain anonymous.

The woman, a Chinese national, and her British husband flew out to Shanghai, China on January 22 to celebrate Chinese New Year.

The woman said: "I think I had a rough idea about the virus. But it wasn’t that serious at that moment.

"And just as I landed, I found out it was quite serious. My initial reaction was we probably can’t have a good spring festival [Chinese New year] this year."

The couple flew with British Airways, who announced on Wednesday, January 29, it was suspending all flights to and from mainland China.

The couple said they are relying on updates through the Chinese media and are getting figures on the diagnosis rate and death toll daily.

They are trying to "follow the rules" by staying at home, wearing masks and washing their hands.

British Airways, which operates daily flights to Shanghai and Beijing from Heathrow, said it was halting flights immediately after the Foreign Office warned against "all but essential travel" to the country because of the outbreak.

Currently, the suspension is in place until February 29 but the situation remains "under review".

The woman added: "My return flight should be February 12. It is a British Airways flight.

"So far I haven’t received any official email from British Airways to inform me the flight is suspended.

"I got the information from the Chinese media website. I am trying to get the latest news about the flight. But it's not easy."

The couple are struggling to find information due to China’s strict internet access.

“I could not read any reaction or respond from the UK government because of the restriction implemented by the Chinese government," the woman added.

The husband was due to travel home via Vietnam but some companies have stopped flights from China to Vietnam so he is concerned his flight will be affected.

The couple also fear they could contract the virus at the airport or during the flight.

The woman said: "I think [the Chinese] government are trying their best to control the coronavirus situation.

"We have a Shanghai media WeChat account, which updates the figure five or six times a day to let us know how many people have been diagnosed today, [treated] or have died. And how many people have been diagnosed in total so far in Shanghai.

"All the families can go to a neighborhood committee to register for masks since February 2. Every family can get five masks from the committee, but people are queuing up at pharmacies.

"Me and my husband think we should try our best to follow the rules and try to stay at home, wear masks if we need to go out and washing our hands often."

Shanghai has always been flooded with tourists and is considered as one of the busiest cities in China but now the streets are empty, with people advised to stay indoors.

The death toll is now at 213 with nearly 10,000 confirmed cases.

Two cases have been confirmed in the UK, the chief medical officer for England announced on Friday, January 31.

The woman added: "I have no idea about what will happen once I arrive [in the UK]. But I read the BBC news just now.

"I think the UK has two coronavirus cases confirmed today.

"I guess they will and should test every passenger going back to the UK. It’s for protecting UK.

"I think the only way I can get the information is BBC news. I really hope can have somebody tell me what should I do now, and how can I back to UK."

People with British Airways bookings are advised to contact the company directly. Those with bookings within the temporary suspension may be able to request a refund.

For bookings that have been made through a travel agent, it is advisable to contact the third party and rebook.