A person at the University of Bath has tested negative for Coronavirus, the university has confirmed.

They have been in self-imposed isolation. The university has not confirmed reports that they are a member of staff.

There have been more than 40,000 officially confirmed cases of the virus in total, mostly in China where the official death toll has reached 908.

In the UK, there have been eight cases of the virus.

A University of Bath spokesperson said:

“We can confirm that the coronavirus test result that we have been expecting has come back negative.

"Obviously, we are very pleased for the individual concerned and we are very grateful to them for letting us know the outcome of their test.”

Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said earlier this week: "Patients should not be alarmed as it is still more likely that anyone with flu-like symptoms will have the flu.

"However, in light of the members of staff who tested positive for coronavirus in Brighton we’d like to remind the public that it is vital that any patient who thinks they may have symptoms does not try to attend a GP appointment or hospital emergency departments in person.

"They should stay at home and call NHS 111."

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Two healthcare workers are among the four latest confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK. Credit: PA

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Researchers in China have said the virus can have an incubation period of up to 24 days.

Currently, the World Health Organisation 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.

British Airways became the latest airline to extend its suspension of flights serving Beijing and Shanghai.

It said on Monday that it has cancelled flights to and from the cities until March 31, following in the footsteps of Virgin Atlantic which last week said it will not operate its Heathrow-Shanghai route until March 28.

The latest developments come as health authorities confirm one of the hundreds of people recently evacuated from China to US military bases has the virus, with the person joining 13 confirmed cases across the country.

A further two British nationals have contracted the virus on board a quarantine cruise ship off the coast of Japan.