New coronavirus cases detected in the UK and Mallorca are linked to a cluster in a ski resort in France, health officials have confirmed.

On Sunday the UK’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, said one of the new cases – the fourth in England – was a known contact of a previously confirmed UK case. He also said the virus was passed on in France. The latest patient is being treated at the Royal Free hospital in London.

The new case in England is linked to a cluster of cases affecting five Britons, including a nine-year-old child, who are in hospital in France. Another six UK nationals are being kept under observation in French hospitals.

Jerome Salomon, a French senior health official, said in a televised statement: “We learned that there were two other cases linked to this cluster, two adults – one who was diagnosed in the United Kingdom and the other who was diagnosed in Mallorca – linked to a stay in the apartment in Les Contamines-Montjoie.”

The group had been staying in two apartments in a ski chalet in the Alpine resort area near Mont Blanc when they were visited by a British man on 24 January who had attended a business conference in Singapore, where he is believed to have contracted the virus.

The event at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Singapore was hosted by Servomex, a UK gas analysis company, the Singapore newspaper Lianhe Wanbao reported.

The British national, reported to be a middle-aged man from Brighton, was found to have the virus when he returned to the UK at the end of last month. He returned to London Gatwick Airport from Geneva on 28 January on an easyJet flight.

In a statement, easyJet said Public Health England is contacting all passengers who were seated in the vicinity of the customer on flight EZS8481 from Geneva to Gatwick on 28 January to provide guidance in line with procedures.

The airline added: “easyJet has been notified by the public health authority that a customer who had recently travelled on one of its flights has since been diagnosed with the Coronavirus.

“As the customer was not experiencing any symptoms, the risk to others on board the flight is very low.

“We remain in contact with the public health authorities and are following their guidance. The health and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is the airline’s highest priority.

“All of the crew who operated have been advised to monitor themselves for a 14 day period since the flight in line with Public Health England advice. Note this happened 12 days ago and none are displaying any symptoms.”

The man is thought to be the first UK national to contract the disease and was transferred to St Thomas’ hospital in London, where there is an infectious diseases unit, last Thursday.

Whitty said experts at Public Health England continue to work hard tracing patient contacts from the UK cases.

He said of the case that emerged on Sunday: “They successfully identified this individual and ensured the appropriate support was provided. The patient has been transferred to a specialist NHS centre at the Royal Free hospital, and we are now using robust infection control measures to prevent any possible further spread of the virus.”

Q&A How can I protect myself and others from the coronavirus outbreak? Show Hide The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine. The UN agency advises people to: Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap

Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing

Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough

Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers

Advice about face masks varies. Wearing them while out and about may offer some protection against both spreading and catching the virus via coughs and sneezes, but it is not a cast-iron guarantee of protection Many countries are now enforcing or recommending curfews or lockdowns. Check with your local authorities for up-to-date information about the situation in your area. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

While the total number of cases in the UK stands at four, the government in the Balearic Islands confirmed a British man had tested positive for coronavirus in Mallorca. The man’s wife and two daughters tested negative and were not showing any signs of having the virus. The family had been in France and had returned to Mallorca on 29 January and the father started to show light symptoms 24 hours later. Fernando Simon, director of the centre of coordination of health emergencies at at the Spanish health ministry, said the man was currently “in good health” but was being kept in isolation and authorities were drawing up a list of everyone he may have come into contact with in Mallorca.

What is coronavirus and how worried should we be? Read more

On Sunday the second and final flight carrying British citizens from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan landed in Oxfordshire. The flight, with more than 200 people onboard including some foreign nationals, arrived at RAF Brize Norton shortly before 7.30am on Sunday.

The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said the flight had brought back 105 British nationals and family members, as well as 95 foreign nationals and family members. A total of 13 staff and medical professionals were also onboard. The passengers were being taken to the Kents Hill Park hotel and conference centre in Milton Keynes to be quarantined for 14 days.

Two British nationals were not allowed to board the flight after they initially failed temperature checks, although later checks were normal. One of them, Josh Skarratts, told Sky News: “Now we are stranded in Wuhan having missed the last plane out of Wuhan and our last means of evacuation.”

Locals in the area of Kents Hill Park hotel told the Press Association they were unconcerned about living in close proximity to the quarantine area. “They’ve got to go somewhere. You could say that it may have been better if they had been put in a more of an isolated place,” said Stephen Szyelimski. “I’ve got no bones of contention. I’ve got no upset. They’ve got to do it, it’s got to be done and it’s got to be done properly. And I hope we get on top of it very quickly.”

The three joined buildings that make up Kents Hill Park were cordoned off with temporary wire fencing, and security officers will patrol the site for the duration of the quarantine. Staff in blue scrubs, gloves and masks were seen welcoming the arrivals on to the premises on Sunday morning, reported the Press Association.

The conference centre and hotel is close to three schools. A spokesman for Milton Keynes council said: “Local schools have been alerted and are working to update and reassure parents”.