UK Hospital Admits Worker Who Tested Positive For Coronavirus Treated “Small Number” Of Patients

Summary:

• UK hospital confirms worker found to be infected treated ‘small number’ of patients
• Russia releases two Chinese nationals who recovered from virus
• China Grand Prix likely to be cancelled
• Couple onboard ‘Diamond Princess’ tell CNBC situation is “frankly terrifying”.
• AFP publishes report exposing worsening shortages of food and supplies in Wuhan
• Cruise ship rejected by four countries allowed to dock in Cambodia

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Stock markets across the globe are back on the front foot Wednesday morning after officials in Hubei reported a lower number of confirmed cases, and a lower number of deaths, in their morning update, inspiring optimism that the “People’s War” – as President Xi put it – against Covid-19 can be won.

Interestingly enough, while the market felt satisfied that Chinese health authorities are finally getting a handle on the virus now that Beijing and Shanghai have joined the ranks of cities suffering ‘partial lockdowns’, most of the major newsflow concerning the outbreak shifted to Britain, where a ‘super spreader’ who picked up the virus in Singapore has apparently wreaked havoc on the country’s national health system, having infected at least two medical personnel.

Officials at Worthing Hospital in West Sussex confirmed late Tuesday that a member of their hospital staff was among the eight confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK announced earlier this week. The Worthing staff member is different from a locum doctor working in Brighton who is also among the eight confirmed cases.

Yesterday, it was reported that two prisoners at HMP Bullingdon – including one who was recently extradited from Thailand – are being tested for the virus and being held in isolation. They are both reported to be suffering flu-like symptoms.

As of Tuesday evening, a total of 1,358 people have been tested for coronavirus in the UK, of which 1,350 were confirmed negative and eight positive, the Department of Health said. But as the WSJ reminded us last night, virus tests are often inaccurate and can even rule out patients who are obviously suffering from symptoms of viral pneumonia.

The health-care worker at Worthing went on to treat “a small number” of patients over two days before he was pulled into a quarantine.

As Worthing hospital posted signs calling for patients to immediately report any mysterious flu-like symptoms, the seventh Brighton and Hove schools issued warnings to parents about the coronavirus outbreak on the south coast, prompting some to keep their children home. Two families with children at Carden Primary School have been told to isolate in place.

The Guardian also reported some details about the British man and alleged druggie who was expatriated back from Thailand and may have carried the virus with him.

The 31-year-old man’s name is Mark Rumble, was flown back to the UK on Jan. 27. He was arrested in Pattaya, Thailand, last November

In other news, CNBC conducted an interview with a couple stuck aboard the Diamond Princess, two of more than two dozen Americans stuck on board the ship. The couple said the experience of watching people get carted off the ship day to day has been “frankly terrifying”, and they questioned why authorities have been evacuating healthy people in recent days.

“They say [Feb. 19] – if we’re healthy on that date we can go. They say we’re all safest here quarantining in place. If that’s true, then why are they offloading buses of people who they don’t want to get sick? We’ve had 100 new cases since the quarantine started. This is not making sense.”

Will they ever go on another cruise? “It’ll be a while.”

The couple added that they had found a hospital in Fla. that would take them under quarantine conditions, and aren’t sure why they need to stay here on a cruise ship moored in Japan if they haven’t tested positive for the virus.

Since being quarantined eight days ago, 136 passengers and crew aboard the ‘Diamond Princess’ have been found to have contracted the virus, making it the center of the largest outbreak outside mainland China.

In Wuhan, intensifying supply shortages of food, medicine, fuel and other critical supplies are beginning to weigh on the local population, who have been trapped in place for more than two weeks, according to an Epoch Times reporter.

Super market in #wuhan running out of supplies, people lining up to buy, some starting to steal, one of the many scenes in #China during #CoronavirusOutbreak #COVID19 https://t.co/FNypJGppPn

— 曾錚 Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferatntd) February 12, 2020

A brave team of AFP reporters who have been documenting the effort to combat the virus on the frontlines of the outbreak published a sweeping report on Tuesday exposing how truly isolated Wuhan had become.

Racing fans received some disappointing news last night when it was reported that the Chinese Grand Prix is expected to be postponed because of the outbreak. The Formula-1 race was scheduled to be held in Shanghai on April 19.

In other news, Indonesia has rejected experts suspicions that health officials might be hiding instances of viral infection. In Russia, two Chinese who were found to be infected and quarantined in Siberia last month have recovered, and been released. Both had ‘mild’ forms of the virus. Russia has closed its border with China and North Korea because of the outbreak and suspended

Last night, we reported that the death toll from the virus had climbed above 1,000 as Hubei reported another 94 deaths.

Finally, we leave readers with a sliver of good news: A cruise ship with no coronavirus patients that had been denied by four countries, and was in danger of running out of food and fuel in the next day or two, has been allowed to dock in Cambodia.