Steve Walsh is no longer contagious and poses no risk to the public, says NHS

Businessman Steve Walsh, the man suspected of being at the centre of a UK outbreak of coronavirus, is being discharged from hospital and is no longer contagious, NHS England has said.

Prof Keith Willett,the NHS strategic incident director, said: “Following two negative tests for coronavirus, 24 hours apart, Mr Walsh has been discharged from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS foundation trust, having made a full recovery following his treatment.

“Mr Walsh’s symptoms were mild and he is no longer contagious, and poses no risk to the public. He is keen to return to his normal life and spend time with his family out of the media spotlight.

“I would like to thank the clinical team who treated Mr Walsh in hospital, as well as all the NHS staff who are working hard with other health organisations to limit the spread of coronavirus and treat the small numbers who have contracted the illness. Anyone with any health concerns should contact NHS 111.”

The development came as at least nine schools in Brighton, Hove and Eastbourne in East Sussex informed families that some of their pupils or staff had been told to self-isolate after concerns were raised that Walsh, who tested positive for coronavirus, may have passed it on to others.

Walsh, who unknowingly contracted the disease on a business trip in Singapore before going on a ski trip where he is thought to have infected others, was being held in an isolation unit at St Thomas’ hospital in London. He was in the Alps with two GPs who have since tested positive for coronavirus in Brighton.

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.

Two GP practices were closed on Tuesday for cleaning over coronavirus fears, but have reopened with some disruption to appointments. A spokesman for NHS Brighton and Hove CCG said all other NHS services in Brighton and Hove were open as usual, with measures in place to protect patients and staff.

Outside Worthing hospital on Wednesday morning, patient Charlotte Hewitt said “nobody’s panicking” after confirmation from Western Sussex hospitals NHS trust that someone who works there has the coronavirus. The 18-year-old said she was originally admitted as a day patient but kept in with an unrelated illness.

She added: “There is one room inside boxed off but aside from that everyone is calm inside. I don’t even see anyone visiting or any of the patients wearing masks. All you are being asked to do is constantly wipe your hands with gel if you go out and when you come back in again. I am not worried about being treated inside the hospital because everything seems to be under control.”

Her friend Leanne O’Keefe had come to visit Hewitt this morning. “I just walked in and nobody checked on me,” O’Keefe said. “All I did was what I usually do if I’m visiting Charlotte or anyone else in a hospital – I washed my hands with the gel before going to see her.”

Quick guide What are coronavirus symptoms and should I go to a doctor? Show Hide What is Covid-19? Covid-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a pandemic. What are the symptoms this coronavirus causes? According to the WHO, the most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, tiredness and a dry cough. Some patients may also have a runny nose, sore throat, nasal congestion and aches and pains or diarrhoea. Some people report losing their sense of taste and/or smell. About 80% of people who get Covid-19 experience a mild case – about as serious as a regular cold – and recover without needing any special treatment. About one in six people, the WHO says, become seriously ill. The elderly and people with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, or chronic respiratory conditions, are at a greater risk of serious illness from Covid-19. In the UK, the National health Service (NHS) has identified the specific symptoms to look for as experiencing either: a high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back

a new continuous cough - this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly As this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics are of no use. The antiviral drugs we have against flu will not work, and there is currently no vaccine. Recovery depends on the strength of the immune system. Should I go to the doctor if I have a cough? Medical advice varies around the world - with many countries imposing travel bans and lockdowns to try and prevent the spread of the virus. In many place people are being told to stay at home rather than visit a doctor of hospital in person. Check with your local authorities. 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.

Schools in the area are also taking precautions. Two families with children at Carden primary school in Brighton were told to self-isolate in an email issued by the school on Wednesday morning. The school is situated opposite the County Oak medical centre, which has been closed after a GP working there came into contact with Walsh.

The email from the school stressed that the families had been in contact with a “potential” case of the virus and not yet a diagnosed one.

Among the affected schools in Brighton is one of the area’s biggest secondaries. Varndean school has written to the parents of its 1,300 pupils, the Argus reported. Varndean said somebody connected to the school had been told by Public Heath England (PHE) to self-isolate for 14 days.

Parents at Cottesmore St Mary’s Catholic primary school in Hove had two children in quarantine, the Argus reported . Hangleton primary school, also in Hove, sent an email to parents informing them that a pupil’s family were self-isolating because of “a connection to one of the health centres affected by the coronavirus”. It said: “At this time there is a low risk for anyone attending the school.”

Other affected schools include Portslade Aldridge Community academy in Portslade, which has about 900 students, as well as Bevendean primary school and Balfour primary school.

Ratton school in Eastbourne, a secondary with 1,196 students, and Ocklynge, a junior school, have also issued warnings.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that two prisoners at HMP Bullingdon, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, are being tested for coronavirus and kept in isolation in their cells. One of the prisoners had recently been transferred from a jail in Thailand, Sky News reported.

The prison has capacity for 1,114 inmates and remains operational, with PHE on site helping to manage the situation. Access to the wing of the complex where the affected prisoners are being held has been restricted.