The Public Health Service contacted the College to inform them

Yesterday King’s students received an email from the Vice President informing students that someone in ‘the community’ had been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The patient is one of the 36 cases in the U.K. diagnosed yesterday, making the total number of people infected in the U.K. as 87.

The university will remain open as the risk to other student and staff members remain low.

Last night two separate patients were diagnosed in King’s College Hospital with the virus.

One is understood to be in a small ward in the Health and Ageing Unit. The other is believed to the King’s student.

According to reports, the student had no contact with coronavirus patients. The College has since confirmed the recently diagnosed case referenced in the email is “unrelated” to the two cases at the hospital.

The hospital wards are now on lockdown taking precautions by placing restrictions on who can enter the area.

A spokesperson for King’s College Hospital said: “The Trust has had two recent patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 (coronavirus).

“We have strict protocols in place to manage the control of infection and to reduce the possibility of cross-infection, and this includes restricting access for staff and visitors to the ward.”

King’s students have received an email from the Senior Vice President informing them of the recently confirmed case and have been reassured that the risk in spite of this the risk remains low.

The full email sent to students said: “I want to make you aware that PHE has informed us of a recently confirmed case within our community.

“We understand this development will be a cause for concern and we want to reassure all of you that we are working closely with PHE and NHS services.

“PHE has advised that the risk to our staff, students and visitors remains low and the university remains open.

“Our immediate concern is for the affected individual along with the health and continued wellbeing of our staff, students and visitors.

“Despite the increase of cases in the UK, the email reassured the students that the university is operating as normal despite the confirmed case.”

The BBC has reported 87 confirmed cases of the virus within the UK. The prime minister has formulated a battle plan for the UK in the case of a mass outbreak.

Stock featured image via SWNS

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