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“Millions” of Britons with flu-like symptoms could be told to “self-isolate” by staying at home for a fortnight if the number of UK coronavirus cases rises past 100, it has been reported.

The Sunday Telegraph said senior NHS managers have been told that the service will stop testing for the strain known as Covid-19 “once around 100 cases have been confirmed” across Britain.

Eight of the nine people diagnosed with the virus in the UK have since left hospital after two negative tests for Covid-19, with the paper reporting hospitals have in the last week made “isolation pods” to keep those being tested away from other patients.

If the number of cases rises significantly those with coughs and colds may have to stay home to limit the chance of the outbreak spreading.

The Department of Health and Social Care did not comment when asked about the self-isolation direction.

As of Saturday, 2,992 people in the UK have been tested with 2,983 confirmed as negative and nine positive, the department said.

Earlier, an NHS spokesman said all 94 people in quarantine at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral had been released.

They had been kept in isolation at the hospital after returning to the UK from China – the centre of the outbreak.

Coronavirus: Costa Smeralda cruise ship lock down - In pictures 12 show all Coronavirus: Costa Smeralda cruise ship lock down - In pictures 1/12 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia Reuters 2/12 Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 3/12 Passengers wait aboard the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, docked in the Civitavecchia port near Rome AP 4/12 Buses wait for passengers to disembark from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 5/12 Passengers are pictured on Costa Smeralda cruise ship, docked in the Civitavecchia port AFP via Getty Images 6/12 Passengers stand on the Costa Smeralda cruise ship docked at the Civitavecchia port AFP via Getty Images 7/12 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship, left, is docked in the Civitavecchia port near Rome AP 8/12 Passengers have been unable to leave the vessel AFP via Getty Images 9/12 A passenger holding her child gets down from a shuttle bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship docked in the Civitavecchia port, 70km north of Rom AFP via Getty Images 10/12 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, sits docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia following a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 11/12 Passengers are seen onboard the Costa Smeralda cruise ship in Civitavecchia, Italy @Xaideta via Reuters 12/12 A Guardia di Finanza boat passes the Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, as it sits docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia following a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 1/12 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia Reuters 2/12 Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 3/12 Passengers wait aboard the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, docked in the Civitavecchia port near Rome AP 4/12 Buses wait for passengers to disembark from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 5/12 Passengers are pictured on Costa Smeralda cruise ship, docked in the Civitavecchia port AFP via Getty Images 6/12 Passengers stand on the Costa Smeralda cruise ship docked at the Civitavecchia port AFP via Getty Images 7/12 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship, left, is docked in the Civitavecchia port near Rome AP 8/12 Passengers have been unable to leave the vessel AFP via Getty Images 9/12 A passenger holding her child gets down from a shuttle bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship docked in the Civitavecchia port, 70km north of Rom AFP via Getty Images 10/12 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, sits docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia following a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 11/12 Passengers are seen onboard the Costa Smeralda cruise ship in Civitavecchia, Italy @Xaideta via Reuters 12/12 A Guardia di Finanza boat passes the Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, as it sits docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia following a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters

More than 100 people remain at the Kents Hill Park Hotel in Milton Keynes, the NHS added.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I am also pleased that eight of the nine individuals who tested positive for coronavirus have now been successfully treated and discharged from hospital.

“I want to stress that any individuals who are discharged from hospital are now well and do not pose any public health risk to the public.”

“Again, this is evidence of how well prepared our NHS is to deal with the Wuhan coronavirus.

What is self-isolating?

Self-isolating is when a person showing symptoms of the strain of coronavirus – also known as Covid-19 – is asked to stay at home for 14 days to prevent the spread of the infection.

Symptoms include a cough, high temperature and shortness of breath.

Currently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates the incubation period to be up to 14 days, and recommends that the follow-up of contacts of confirmed cases is the same period.

Who should isolate themselves?

Anyone who has travelled from Wuhan or Hubei province to the UK in the last 14 days should immediately stay indoors and avoid contact with other people. They have also been told to call NHS 111, even if they do not have symptoms.

Anyone with symptoms of cough, fever or shortness of breath who has returned from anywhere in mainland China within the last 14 days should also self-isolate and call the NHS.

This guidance also applies to travellers who have recently returned from other parts of China, such as Macau and Hong Kong, or Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Republic of Korea or Malaysia.

Health professionals will then arrange for people with suspected cases of coronavirus to be tested.

How do you self-isolate?

People who have been asked to isolate themselves should stay at home and avoid contact with the public.

The NHS says people should not go to school, work or public areas, not use public transport or taxis and avoid visitors at home.

Friends, family and delivery drivers can still carry out errands such as delivering food.

What about living with a person in self-isolation?

People living with someone who is self-isolating are advised to limit contact with the patient as much as possible, Public Health England (PHE) said.

They should wash their hands often and thoroughly, ensure that shared spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms are well ventilated, and avoid sharing household items.

Visitors should not be invited to the home and people at increased risk of the illness – such as those with a chronic illness or weakened immune system – should avoid contact with the patient.

Laundry should be washed at the highest temperature possible, and surfaces should be cleaned every day.

Can you be forced to self-isolate?

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said that the coronavirus outbreak represents a “serious and imminent threat to public health”.

New legal powers mean people with coronavirus can be forcibly quarantined and will not be free to leave, and can be forcibly sent into isolation if they pose a threat.

Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside and Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes have been designated “isolation facilities”, the Government said.

How can you reduce the spread of the coronavirus?

Because it is a new illness, it is not known exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person, but similar viruses spread in cough droplets, the NHS said.

It recommends people cover their mouths and noses with a tissue or sleeve – not their hands – when coughing or sneezing, and binning tissues immediately.

People should also wash their hands with soap and water often and try to avoid contact with people who are unwell.