FOUR in five Brits could become infected by deadly coronavirus — with up to 500,000 killed, according to a doomsday scenario set out in official papers seen by The Sun.

Ministers are now considering the assumption that more than 50million people in the UK could catch the killer bug.

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5 Health officials are preparing for the worst case scenario for coronavirus in the UK Credit: Alamy Live News

5 Lincoln County Hospital’s isolation pod was revealed as a small tent behind some bins Credit: MEN Media

A memo seen by The Sun last night states that the “reasonable worst case” involves “up to 80 per cent of the population being infected”.

The document by the National Security Communications Team warns: “The current planning assumption is that 2-3 per cent of symptomatic cases will result in a ­fatality.”

Around half a million Brits — mostly the elderly or those with pre-existing illnesses — would be killed under this scenario, according to health sources.

The figures are in a “sensitive” government report called “Covid-19 Reasonable Worst Case Scenario”.

It predicts infection rates will snowball for two to three months once the bug starts spreading.

CRIPPLING THE NHS

A government spokesman said every eventuality had to be planned for but warned “this does not mean we expect it to happen”.

Experts estimate a major outbreak may see more than two million people in hospital — crippling the NHS.

One hospital’s isolation pod was yesterday revealed as a small tent behind some bins with one chair and a phone to call 111.

Lincoln County Hospital’s facilities were described as “something that Bear Grylls would keep in his backpack”.

The hospital said the tent was not meant for treatment and will be upgraded.

England’s top doctor warned a global pandemic may lead to school closures, families quarantined and public transport shut down.

Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said yesterday: “There’s no secret there’s a variety of things you need to look at, like school closures.”

Currently, only high-risk individuals are asked to stay at home to limit the spread of Covid-19.

But Prof Whitty said whole families could be told to self-isolate during a major outbreak.

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He added: “We might want to look at things like should people stay at home with their families in that situation.

“It’s one of the things we would want to think about.”

Public Health England plans to test thousands of patients with flu-like symptoms via 11 hospitals and 100 GP practices to see if the virus has spread into the population.

5 Experts estimate a major outbreak may see more than two million people in hospital, crippling the NHS Credit: PA:Press Association

5 A shocking 80 per cent of Brits could be infected by deadly coronavirus, according to a doomsday scenario set out in official documents Credit: PA:Press Association

5 Professor Chris Whitty says 'there’s no secret there’s a variety of things you need to look at, like school closures'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tells Brits if they've been to North Italy to self-isolate if they feel ill

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