British government became first in world to advise all citizens in China to leave the country

China’s ambassador to the UK has condemned the British authorities for sowing panic over the coronavirus with its advice for all British citizens to leave the country.

On Tuesday the British government became the first in the world to advise all citizens to leave China if they could, although unlike the US, Australia and several other countries, it has not banned entry for travellers who have recently visited mainland China.

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming said the UK position was an overreaction that ignored World Heath Organization advice against sweeping travel restrictions, which he claimed UK officials had privately acknowledged was correct.

“I am not accusing, I would just like to see their words match their actions,” Liu said at a press conference in London about China’s handling of the coronavirus. “We asked them to take the advice of the WHO, to make a reasonable reaction.

“We don’t think there should be such a panic. We were given notice before they [the UK] made a formal announcement, we advised them we don’t think it’s a good idea. We believe the epidemic is controllable, preventable and curable.”

The UK has three confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, two connected to the University of York and one diagnosed in Brighton on Thursday. The new patient did not contract the disease in the UK, the chief medical officer said.

In China the disease still shows no sign of being brought under control, despite massive government mobilisation to try to contain it. There are now over 28,000 people infected, the vast majority in Hubei province, which is the centre of the outbreak, and over 560 people have died.

Liu said the Chinese government had asked London to review its decision, but otherwise praised ties between the two countries.

He said the Chinese and British governments had “maintained very close contact” since the outbreak began, and praised collaboration between scientists from the two countries who are working in areas including tracing the origin of the coronavirus and the race to develop a vaccine.

He declined to comment on why he thought London had brought in the hardline policy, saying that was for the Foreign Office to answer.

Quick guide What are coronavirus symptoms and should I go to a doctor? Show Hide What is Covid-19? Covid-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a pandemic. What are the symptoms this coronavirus causes? According to the WHO, the most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, tiredness and a dry cough. Some patients may also have a runny nose, sore throat, nasal congestion and aches and pains or diarrhoea. Some people report losing their sense of taste and/or smell. About 80% of people who get Covid-19 experience a mild case – about as serious as a regular cold – and recover without needing any special treatment. About one in six people, the WHO says, become seriously ill. The elderly and people with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, or chronic respiratory conditions, are at a greater risk of serious illness from Covid-19. In the UK, the National health Service (NHS) has identified the specific symptoms to look for as experiencing either: a high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back

a new continuous cough - this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly As this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics are of no use. The antiviral drugs we have against flu will not work, and there is currently no vaccine. Recovery depends on the strength of the immune system. Should I go to the doctor if I have a cough? Medical advice varies around the world - with many countries imposing travel bans and lockdowns to try and prevent the spread of the virus. In many place people are being told to stay at home rather than visit a doctor of hospital in person. Check with your local authorities. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

As well as concerns over the spread of the virus, staff numbers on the ground in China were thought to be a factor. The British embassy has evacuated all non-essential staff and already warned that the support it could offer citizens would be reduced.

Most UK citizens who were stranded in the quarantined centre of the outbreak have been evacuated on special flights, but tens of thousands more live in cities across China, often with Chinese relatives or dependents.

Liu also raised concerns about “hatred and discrimination” towards Chinese citizens and people of Chinese heritage in the UK, as fears about the virus grew. He said the embassy had had reports of discrimination from schools and universities, and had issued warning advice.

He admitted that the country had not been fully prepared for an epidemic on the scale it was now battling.

“I can’t say China is prepared for this outbreak, we don’t have enough beds, hospitals,” he said, adding that was why two new hospitals had been thrown up in Hubei in as many weeks. “We try our best to take as many patients as possible,” he added.