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A Qantas flight from Australia to London has been cancelled after a passenger tested positive for coronavirus.

The jet was due to take off from Sydney this morning but will now be subjected to a deep clean.

Passengers will be transferred to the next available flight, 9 News reports.

The infected passenger arrived in Australia on February 28 but Qantas was only informed this morning about their test result.

A Qantas spokesman told Mirror Online the cleaning operation was on top of the regular cleaning which takes place on a plane after a flight.

He added the passenger was not due to fly on the flight to London but had been on the same plane during a previous journey which is why the aircraft had been grounded.

It is unknown if Covid-19 can be transmitted through flights.

(Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

He added: "While Qantas medical has assessed the risk as extremely low, we are doing some additional cleaning of those aircraft as a precaution."

Officials disclosed on Tuesday that the number of people in the UK diagnosed with Covid-19 had risen to 51, with 12 new cases - while a British woman staying in Tenerife has also tested positive for the virus.

NHS England has ordered hospitals to review their intensive care bed numbers and how they could be increased to cope with a surge in cases.

The Government is also launching a renewed public information campaign urging people to wash their hands to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Were you supposed to be on the flight? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk

(Image: REUTERS)

Adverts will seek to drive home the message that regular hand-washing is the single most important action individuals can take in the fight against Covid-19.

The latest adverts - to be rolled out across print, radio, online and billboards - will reinforce the message that people should be washing their hands more often.

The adverts say washing should be for 20 seconds, using soap and water or hand sanitiser.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "We all have a role to play in stopping this disease and that's what this expanded campaign is all about - making sure the public knows exactly what they should be doing to keep themselves and others safe.

"Washing hands regularly is the single most important thing that an individual can do."

In a worst case scenario, up to 80% of the population could become infected, with people hospitalised with pneumonia and a relatively high death rate among the elderly and frail.