Edinburgh Uni student reportedly tested for coronavirus

Four patients in Scottish hospitals are undergoing testing for the coronavirus.

Three of these are in Edinburgh while one is in Glasgow.

One of the three cases in Edinburgh is believed to be a student at the University of Edinburgh, The New York Post reports.

Currently it is not known in which hospitals people with these potential cases of the virus are being treated in.

Professor Juergen Haas, a specialist in infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh, told the BBC earlier today that cases of coronavirus in the UK were "very likely". This is especially true within universities like Edinburgh where there is a large population of Chinese students.

Professor Haas also suggested the spread of the virus might have been sped up due to Chinese New Year festivities causing people to be more likely to travel there.

The outbreak of coronavirus is thought to have started in Wuhan, a city of seven million people in Central China. All four of those with suspected coronavirus are thought to have travelled to Wuhan within the past two weeks.

So far, 17 people have been killed by the virus in China out of over 500 confirmed cases.

The UK Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Wuhan and the city has been placed effectively in lockdown, with the Chinese government suspending all trains and flights out of the city.

Meanwhile, Dundee University – whose architecture department has a partnership with Wuhan University – has advised caution amongst the 34 students from Wuhan it is hosting when receiving care packages containing food.

The general advice being given to those concerned they may have contracted Coronavirus is to speak to your GP or speak to NHS 24 on 111. This advice mainly aimed at those who have recently visited Wuhan.

Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, told several MPs concerned about the impact of the virus on their constituencies' large Chinese student populations that there was no specific advice needed for students.

He also added that he would be in contact with Universities UK (the public body in charge of British universities) to ensure students received sufficient medical advice on the outbreak. The Health Secretary then downplayed suggestions for the use of clinical face-masks and deemed them "not clinically necessary".

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was also questioned on the outbreak. She was keen to stress that the risk to the general population is "low", but that this is under constant review.

The symptoms of Coronavirus are: respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. This is obviously very hard to distinguish from a regular cold or the flu. However, unless you have recently visited Wuhan, health authorities say the risk is low.

If you are concerned please speak to your GP or call NHS 24 on 111.

Featured image credit: SWNS