Derbyshire medical centres issue warning over coronavirus outbreak

Two people have tested positive for the virus in England

Several Derbyshire medical centres have issued advice over the coronavirus outbreak, which now has two confirmed cases in England.

They are telling people not to visit surgeries if they exhibit symptoms and have recently visited China or have been in contact with anyone who has recently visited China.

Instead, they should ring their GP or 111 and stay indoors and avoid contact with people.

The disease originated in Wuhan, China, and continues to wreck havoc across the country with the death troll rising to more than 210 people.

Coronavirus stems from the same family of viruses as SARS, and is believed to potentially have come from either snakes or bats.

In the UK, two members of the same family have tested positive for the virus and are currently being treated at a hospital in Newcastle, ChronicleLive reports.

On Thursday, the World Health Organisation officially designated coronavirus a "public health emergency of international concern."

Now, medical centres in Derby and Derbyshire are advising anyone who has travelled to, or come into contact with anyone who has travelled to China recently not to visit their local surgeries.

In a post on its website, Village Surgery, in Browning Street, Sunny Hill, advised anyone presenting with any symptoms of the virus to instead call the surgery first.

The post reads: "If you have visited Wuhan and develop a fever, difficulty breathing or a cough within 14 days, you should seek medical attention either in China or on your return to the UK. In the UK, please stay indoors and avoid contact with others where possible, call your GP or ring 111 informing them of your symptoms and your recent travel to the city.

"Please do not come into surgery if you are presenting with any of the coronavirus symptoms, have recently travelled or come into contact with anyone who has recently travelled specifically to China, we must ensure that we are limiting the spread of this disease."

Mickleover Medical Centre, in Vicarage Road, has issued similar advice released by Public Health England regarding the outbreak.

The surgery posted on its website to say: "Please do not visit the practice if you feel that you are unwell and have travelled to those areas affected by the outbreak and that you have the symptoms described by the above website link.

"All Patients in that situation are advised to call 111 and stay at home."

While Littlewick Medical Centre, in Nottingham Road, Ilkeston, issued the following advice on its website: "If you have recently travelled to China and are concerned you may have viral infection, we ask that you DO NOT visit the surgery, instead please contact the surgery and a GP will phone you to discuss your symptoms."

Coronavirus is a new respiratory illness (2019-nCoV) that has not previously been seen in humans.

Worldwide, at least 9,7000 people are infected, and the virus has now spread to more than 20 countries, including the USA, Canada, France, South Korea, Japan and Germany.