Staff at one of Kent's biggest companies were ordered to work from home after their colleague - who stopped in coronavirus-hit Taiwan - developed flu-like symptoms.

The un-named employee, who works for Folkestone-based Saga, fell ill after returning to the UK from a trip to Australia, in which they transited through Taiwan airport.

As a result, the worker was advised to self-isolate and seek medical advice by calling the NHS's 24 hour phone line 111.

But as a precaution, all of the person's close work colleagues were told to work from home.

Saga, which sells travel and insurance for the over-50s, said its offices in Folkestone and Thanet remain open but they have now stepped up cleaning procedures.

A spokesman for the firm which employs 3,000 people, said: "A Saga colleague who recently returned from Australia to the UK and transited through Taiwan airport has since developed flu-like symptoms.

"We have followed Public Health England’s guidelines regarding this and have advised the individual to self-isolate and contact 111.

"All Saga offices remain open, however as a precaution we have asked the individual’s immediate colleagues to work from home.

"The wellbeing of our colleagues is of paramount importance to us.

"We have been regularly communicating with colleagues to highlight the precautions we can all take to limit the spread of viruses."

It has now been confirmed that the worker tested negative for the virus.

A spokesman added: "We are pleased to report that we have now received confirmation the test result of our colleague are negative.

"The welfare of our colleagues has been our priority at all times. We are now making contact with the small number that were asked to work from home to inform them of the results and that they can now return to the office."

There are more than 70,000 recorded cases of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, worldwide, and there have been over 1,800 deaths.

Symptoms include a cough, fever and shortness of breath.

The majority of the cases have been found in mainland China, but one person died in Taiwan over the weekend.

Nine people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK.

The government advises that anyone who has travelled back to the UK from China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau and developed symptoms to stay indoors and avoid contact with other people.

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