Mr Raw said he planned to go back to Wuhan, where his wife Ying's family are, at some point. He said: "This could have happened absolutely anywhere in the world, it's just unlucky and sad it happened to happen in Wuhan.

"Wuhan is still home from home for me."

Mr Raw was at Arrowe Park with his wife and his mother, Hazel, 75.

He said his mother, who has dementia, left Arrowe Park earlier on Thursday and had gone to a care home.

He said: "She's not really totally aware of where she is and what's happening but she's certainly enjoying all of the attention to a degree!"

An Arrowe Park nurse, who asked not to be named, said: “I’m glad it’s finally over to be honest.

“The hospital lied to us from the outset, they told us that no hospital staff would be engaging with the patients in quarantine and that it would all be outside agencies.

“But then we saw patients filming inside their rooms for the national news with easily recognisable staff members in the background.

“These people were coming from the quarantine and then back onto the wards and we hadn’t been told.

“It was very worrying especially when we had sick and vulnerable patients on the wards with low immune systems.

“It’s a relief for all of us that they’ve tested negative and they’re leaving, we can carry on and get on with our lives now.”

In response, Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive, Wirral University Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“We made sure that staff across the hospital were kept up to date with this evolving situation and strongly refute the claim that staff have been lied to.

“As soon as it became clear that initial plans had to change and that local staff would be required to support guests in the accommodation block, we informed all staff both in writing and in face to face briefings.

"We reassured them that strict protocols – developed by clinical experts from Public Health England - would be followed at all times, to ensure those staff were absolutely safe to continue to go about any other daily duties.“

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: "As our first group of guests leaves Arrowe Park Hospital, we want to thank them for the highly responsible, pragmatic and stoical way they have played their part in keeping both themselves and others safe.

"They have set an important example, recognising that over the coming weeks many more of us may need to self-isolate at home for a period to reduce this virus's spread.

"I particularly also want to thank all the NHS staff who have worked so hard to make their stay as safe and comfortable as possible.