
Emergency plans are being drawn up by health officials to contain the coronavirus as the first Briton died today and could see schools closed for at least two months and major sporting events, gigs and music festivals cancelled.

As cases of the deadly virus in the UK hit 19 today and a man who was on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship died in Japan, England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty revealed an unprecedented ban on large public gatherings could be required to fight a global pandemic.

Six British patients have fallen ill in the past 24 hours - today two people who had been in Iran tested positive and are in the infectious diseases unit at London's Royal Free Hospital. Wales also has its first case this morning after a patient from Swansea who travelled back from northern Italy came down with coronavirus.

There were three new cases in the UK yesterday. Although it is not confirmed, it appears the mother of a child at a Derbyshire school has tested positive after coming back from Tenerife, leading to the closure of Burbage Primary School in Buxton.

A second patient, believed to be a man from Surrey, was diagnosed yesterday after returning from Milan after a ski trip to the Italian Alps.

And Northern Ireland also had its first case last night - a woman who had come back from northern Italy via Dublin. People who sat within two rows of her have been contacted, health authorities in Belfast said.

The most extreme measure could be to mirror the decision to shut Japan's entire school system, which will close from Monday for a month until April. A UK shutdown would see millions of parents, including key workers such as surgeons, nurses and paramedics, forced to stay at home to care for their children.

Prof Whitty admitted it is 'just a matter of time' until coronavirus spreads more widely and quicker through the UK - and the fightback could include 'reducing mass gatherings and school closures', with Premier League and FA Cup matches either under threat or played behind closed doors.

The London Marathon and the Grand National in April could also be at risk because of the large number of spectators - and this summer's Euro 2020 tournament, which is being played in cities across the continent including London, Glasgow and Rome - the capital of coronavirus-hit Italy - is under review.

Theatre performances, gigs and music festivals such as Glastonbury could also be banned or pared back if the UK fails to get a grip on the crisis.

50 of the 168 British guests at the Tenerife hotel at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak were allowed to leave last night before their two-week quarantine was completed sparking fears they could bring the disease home with them. Jet2 is refusing to fly them home until mid-March.

The NHS has said it is well prepared for the growing threat but senior doctors have admitted that they could have to ration care and focus on those most likely to survive and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: 'The NHS would find it hard to cope if the pandemic took off'.

Under protocol dubbed 'Three Wise Men', a hospital's most senior consultants would meet daily and decide which patients would get beds and ventilators based on those most likely to recover. It means that vulnerable people such as the elderly and already seriously ill would be given less priority than younger and healthier patients.

The crisis has rocked world financial markets and London's FTSE100, which immediately dropped three per cent when it opened yesterday having had £200billion wiped off its value this week taking it to a low level last seen in the 2008 financial crash. Today Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said the economy has already been hit and growth could be downgraded.

A deep clean starting at a primary and pre-school in Bretton, Peterborough yesterday as dozens of schools closed down or sent students home

Medical staff in Buxton wore protective gear after a man tested positive for the virus after a Tenerife holiday. In London people have been wearing gas masks

People wear medical masks as a precaution against new type coronavirus in the capital - as health bosses admitted they could ban public gatherings

There are currently 19 confirmed cases in the UK - all of the individuals are currently located in hospitals dotted around the UK. Six new cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours

Markets tumble on Freefall Friday: FTSE drops 4.5 per cent - more than 300 points - in just 90 minutes The FTSE 100 in London opened 3.2 per cent down this morning, compared to yesterdays, with the coronavirus causing markets to plunge The coronavirus outbreak is causing chaos on the markets, with the FTSE 100 dropping to its lowest level since July 2016 and more than £200 billion in UK shares lost this week. The index dropped 4.5 per cent in just 90 minutes this morning, more than 300 points worse off than yesterday, with stocks in free fall and panic gripping the City. By 12pm it had recovered slightly, though it was still more than 3 per cent down overall. Exasperated traders could be seen leaving the London Stock Exchange today as shares continued to plummet. Globally, shares are down about $5 trillion overall this week and Wall Street is also bracing itself after Dow Jones suffered its worst points loss on record yesterday. It comes as Wales has today confirmed its first case of the deadly coronavirus while two more have been confirmed in England, with the UK announcing six new patients in the space of just 24 hours. More than 83,000 people worldwide have been struck down with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The death toll stands at almost 2,900 – up from just 200 at the end of January. Advertisement

As the coronavirus crisis tightened its grip on Britain today, it has also emerged:

World Health Organisation says the coming days are the 'decisive point' in whether the spread of the illness can be halted;

Millions of Britons face travel disruption with airlines cancelling flights and Easter and summer holidays could be scrapped;

The British Army says it is ready to step in to support public services if they creak under pressure of a pandemic;

The NHS could ration care to coronavirus sufferers based on how likely they are to survive if there is a shortage of equipment;

50 British tourists are being released early from quarantine in a Tenerife coronavirus hotel - but amid fears they could have the virus Jet2 is refusing to fly them back for another nine days;

Government says that there is no need to stockpile goods - but hand gel and other items are selling out or being rationed on the high street;

Emergency plans are being drawn up by the authorities will be required if there is a global pandemic, but medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said they are not needed yet.

Professor Whitty is cautious about school closures unless absolutely necessary because of the huge impact on society and the economy.

He said: ‘We’re not saying we will do them, we have to look at them and say, “How likely are they to work?”.’ Yesterday, the Government announced there had been three more confirmed cases in the UK bringing the total number to 16, although there have not been any deaths.

Buxton in Derbyshire is on lockdown as the GP surgery shut, a primary school closed and residents were left too afraid to visit the shops because of a confirmed coronavirus case in a parent who is thought to have travelled to a hotel in Tenerife which has been paralysed by the killer infection.

The unidentified patient is believed to have a child at Burbage Primary School in Buxton, whose headteacher today announced it had shut for a 'deep clean' because one of the 'parent population' was infected.

It's thought they stayed at the four-star H10 Costa Adeje Palace Hotel in Tenerife, where hundreds of holidaymakers – including 160 Britons – are currently being quarantined because of an outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.

BRITS AT VIRUS-STRICKEN TENERIFE HOTEL TOLD THEY CAN LEAVE, SPARKING FEARS THEY COULD BRING IT BACK TO THE UK A woman looks out of a window at the four-star resort, which has recorded all four of the island's coronavirus cases Around 50 Britons quarantined at a coronavirus-hit Tenerife hotel have been told they can leave. Those who can leave are understood to have arrived on Monday, after the guests who were diagnosed had already left. But with no way to track the movements of the Brits and no quarantine in place for them coming home, the news has sparked fears the tourists could bring the virus back home and cause an outbreak on home soil. Some 168 British nationals are among hundreds of guests being kept at the four-star H10 Costa Adeje Palace in the south west of the Spanish island after at least four guests, including an Italian doctor, tested positive for coronavirus. Overall, 130 guests from 11 countries have been told they can leave by Spanish authorities. A statement from the Foreign Office said: 'We are urgently seeking clarification from the Canary Island authorities following their announcement that 130 tourists of different nationalities will be granted permission to leave the Costa Adeje Palace Hotel. 'We continue to offer support to all British nationals at the hotel.' The news comes after TV doctor Hilary Jones blasted quarantine measures at the hotel. A British man, who did not wished to be named, told PA the hotel was unable to enforce quarantine measures and nobody felt safe. Another said an aqua gym class was held on Thursday morning in the hotel pool. All of those on site were initially told to stay in their rooms but local authorities have now said people without symptoms can move around the hotel, including to the pool and bar. Advertisement

Zoe Jones, 26, saw several ambulances visit a property in town on Wednesday night. Paramedics in hazard-style suits helped a person into the vehicle and they were taken to a hospital in Liverpool.

Miss Jones, of Sandbach, Cheshire said: ‘I was coming home and two ambulances and two emergency response vehicles go past.

‘They weren’t going really fast but they had the blue lights on.

‘One ambulance was at the front and the emergency response teams were in the middle with the other ambulance at the back.

‘I thought it was a bit odd and wondered what was going on.’

She added: ‘They then stopped at a Morrisons supermarket car park. All the men got out and put on these white suits.

‘Then they went to a house and parked right by it. The police blocked off the road.

‘They brought someone out - they didn’t seems to need help. It was all a bit odd and I knew it was something to do with coronavirus.

‘I was really intrigued so followed them and they drove towards Liverpool. When they got to hospital a policeman opened a loading bay and they went up in that.’

The Buxton primary school announced its decision to shut on Wednesday night and informed parents with a WhatsApp message. School bosses emphasised that the decision had been taken for the safety and protection of children and teachers.

A second patient, believed to be a man from Surrey, was diagnosed yesterday after returning from a ski trip to northern Italy.

The third case was confirmed in Northern Ireland and the individual had also recently come back from northern Italy via Dublin.

It came as the World Health Organisation warned that many countries were ‘simply not ready’ to contain the virus.

Professor Whitty, who has been the chief medical officer since October, is in charge of drawing up the Government’s emergency plans for containing the virus.

Yesterday he shed light on some of the options being considered by officials, should the number of cases in the UK suddenly escalate.

He said at the Nuffield Trust Summit in Windsor, Berkshire, he thought it was only a ‘matter of time’ before Britons started catching the disease from each other on a larger scale.

This is known medically as ‘onward transmission’ and so far in the UK the cases have only occurred in individuals who have either been to a virus hotspot country themselves, or come into close contact with someone else who has. But Professor Whitty said: ‘If it is something that is containable, the UK can contain it. If it is not containable, it will be not containable everywhere and then it is coming our way.’

In a picture of what could be to come, Inter Milan's San Siro stadium was empty for the team's Europa League match as sporting fixtures could be played behind closed doors or even cancelled to avoid spreading illness

Guests were sunbathing in masks and enjoying free supplies of food and alcohol at the hotel poolside yesterday after learning they would be staying well into March. Mrs Pennington has decided to self-isolate herself and her family, fearing this type of behaviour risks spreading the illness

A staff member cleans the swimming pool of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in Tenerife, where hundreds of holidaymakers have been quarantined because of a coronavirus outbreak

Two tourists wearing face masks are seen next to one who isn't by the pool of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace, which is on lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak

Britons have been rushing to buy canned food, bottled water and hand sanitiser. Some Superdrug and Boots stores have sold out of hand gels and face masks.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE CORONAVIRUS? The signs of COVID-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus, are often mild and are very similar to a cold, flu or chest infection. Typical symptoms of infection include a fever, a cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. These are common complaints at this time of year, so where someone has travelled or who they have come into contact with are important in determining whether they might have coronavirus. The NHS considers people to be at risk if they have the symptoms above and have recently travelled to mainland China, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Macau, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, or the north of Italy (north of Pisa and Florence). People who have, in the past two weeks, been to the Hubei province of China, Iran, the South Korean cities of Daegu or Cheongdo in South Korea, or one of 11 quarantined towns in northern Italy are considered to be at risk even if they feel well. The 11 towns in Italy are Codogno, Castiglione d'Adda, Casalpusterlengo, Fombio, Maleo, Somaglia, Bertonico, Terranova dei Passerini, Castelgerundo, San Fiorano and Vo' Euganeo. Those who have come into contact with others who have visited those places and then feel ill may also be at risk. People who fit any of the categories above should stay at home and self-isolate, away from other people, and phone NHS 111 for more advice. If you think you have the coronavirus do not go to a doctor's surgery or hospital. The virus can spread through coughing, sneezing, or by being close to someone for prolonged periods of time. To protect themselves, people should cough and sneeze into a tissue and throw it away, wash their hands and avoid contact with sick people. Source: NHS Advertisement

Pictures shared on social media showed empty shelves in shops with people also rushing to buy nappies and baby wipes and even stockpiling alcohol.

It also emerged yesterday that a suspected coronavirus patient had been told to sit in a packed hospital waiting room without a protective mask after he called 111.

Paul Godfrey, from Walsall, said he showed clear symptoms of the illness after returning from Milan but was told the city wasn’t on the ‘target list’. He took himself to Walsall Manor Hospital at 10.30am on Monday and waited for ten minutes with other patients before staff in hazmat suits then whisked him to an isolated cubicle.

Professor Whitty said the key was for scientists to now work out what could ‘delay’ or ‘flatten’ the outbreak. He added: ‘Everybody knows that the kinds of things you consider are reducing mass gatherings, school closures which may or may not be appropriate for this type of virus. We don’t know yet, we need to find that out.

‘There are several things – to be clear, we’re not saying we will do them, we have to look at them and say, “How likely are they to work and what’s our evidence base here? What’s the social cost of this?”

‘Because one of the things that’s clear with this virus, much more so than with the flu, is anything we do we’re going to have to do for quite a long time – probably more than two months.’

The professor is understood to be only considering school closures if they are unavoidable. If that were to happen, many parents would be forced to take time off to look after their children including doctors, nurses and paramedics – who would otherwise be treating coronavirus patients – and social care workers.

However, thousands of schoolchildren across the UK could spend another day at home today after being sent by headteachers panicked by the virus fears.

Despite pleas from Health Secretary Matt Hancock not to close schools unless someone tested positive, the number closed entirely for the rest of the week reached double figures yesterday.

Among them is £19,000-a-year Dulwich Prep School in south-east London which blamed delays in NHS test results after several pupils fell ill after foreign holidays.

This Tesco shopper picked up packets of microwavable rice, Dettol wipes and cold and flu tablets as people start stockpiling because of the coronavirus crisis

Superdrug and Boots has sold out of hand gel and face masks at their stores with emergency orders on their way

These bare shelves in a Boots pharmacy as panic buying over the UK took hold

In Japan, authorities have ordered all schools to close until the end of March. And in France president Emmanuel Macron has also warned that the country was on the brink of an epidemic.

Dozens of British guests at a Tenerife hotel hit by a coronavirus outbreak were allowed to leave last night (THUR), prompting confusion over their fate between Spain and the UK.

Authorities on the island said that the group of 50 Britons had showed no symptoms and did not mix with the group of infected Italians who kick-started the scare.

But in a sign of mounting diplomatic tensions, the move caught British authorities by surprise and they were urgently seeking clarification about the situation last night (THUR).

It came only hours after the Government insisted there were no plans to bring more than 100 Britons trapped in the H10 Costa Adeje Palace back to the UK.

Those given permission to leave by Tenerife authorities had arrived at the hotel on Monday. It remains unclear if they will be asked to self-isolate upon returning to the UK.

The remaining 118 British guests at the hotel have criticised the quarantine conditions inside, with guests allowed to roam around freely and interact.

Some said they had been left ‘terrified’ after both Spanish and British authorities refused to say how long they will be locked inside.

Concerns about the spread of the virus were heightened yesterday, when it emerged that one of two new cases in the UK was a guest who had already left the resort and returned home.

Despite the hotel scare entering its fourth day, Public Health England yesterday said it had sent a ‘health protection specialist’ to Spain to work with authorities.

‘This includes understanding spread of the virus within the hotel and how the Spanish authorities are monitoring the situation,’ the agency said.

A passenger walks along the platform of the Leicester Square London Underground station while wearing a face mask

A woman wears a face mask on the London Underground yesterday, as fears of the coronavirus outbreak grip Britain

A 60-year-old guest from Derbyshire last night called for the Government to ‘get us out of here’.

The businessman, on holiday with his wife, said that he had repeatedly asked the hotel and British consular staff to supply him with medication amid fears about his ‘deteriorating’ health.

He said: ‘There are some pretty angry Britons here. The mood is changing and we don’t feel safe here.’

‘The way this has been handled is not safe and inconsistent. We have a responsibility to Britain not to bring this back and if it goes anything like the cruise ship that’s more likely to happen.’

After initially being advised to stay in their rooms, guests at the hotel have been allowed to roam freely for the last 48 hours.

Lara Pennington, from Manchester, is staying at the hotel with her two young children and elderly parents-in-law, one of whom has an underlying heart condition.

She said: ‘We feel abandoned and are very frightened.’

A spokesman for the regional government said that none of the 700 estimated remaining guests who have been asked to take their temperature twice a day had shown any symptoms.

Downing Street defended the response to the situation saying that the Foreign Office had been in touch with more than 100 British nationals at the hotel.

AN FCO spokesman said: ‘We are urgently seeking clarification from the Canary Island authorities following their announcement that 130 tourists of different nationalities will be granted permission to leave the Costa Adeje Palace Hotel. We continue to offer support to all British nationals at the hotel.’

Markets are quaking because of coronavirus' spread, as it reached New Zealand and sub-Saharan Africa yesterday. Cases in Italy have hit 650.

The US benchmark Dow Jones index fell by 4.4 per cent, or more than 1,100 points, the biggest one-day points drop in history.

It comes as almost £190billion has been wiped off the value of Britain’s biggest companies so far this week.

Warnings over the damage the virus could inflict on the global economy triggered panic selling, dragging the value of investments and pension funds down.

The FTSE 100 index, made up of the UK’s largest blue chip firms, yesterday fell to a 13-month low after its biggest percentage drop in four-and-a-half years. It shed 3.49 per cent, or £61.8billion, taking the total hit to £152.5billion so far this week.

The FTSE 350, which is made up of Britain’s biggest 350 firms, shed £77billion yesterday – taking the total fall to £188.6billon since markets opened on Monday.

Airlines and travel companies are among those worst hit as flights have been cancelled and businesses have imposed travel bans on staff. EasyJet lost a quarter of its value this week, falling almost 8 per cent yesterday. British Airways owner IAG was also down nearly 8 per cent while Tui fell 8.2 per cent.

Globally, more than £2.8trillion has been wiped off stockmarkets over the last six days of trading. European stocks slumped 10 per cent since hitting record highs last week. In the US the S&P 500 index suffered its worst day since 2011 as Wall Street was on course for its worst week since the financial crisis.

US President Donald Trump tried to calm the fears by vowing that the White House would ‘spend whatever’s appropriate’ to combat the turmoil.

Savings and pension firms have pleaded with customers not to panic as the value of their investments has fallen alarmingly.

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said the swings are ‘frightening but not unusual’. ‘This is not in the same league as some of the falls we have seen in the past,’ he said.

But with stockmarkets in turmoil, Aston Martin, brewing giant AB InBev and Microsoft joined a growing chorus of firms to warn of the virus’s impact on their businesses. AB InBev predicted its steepest decline in quarterly profit for at least a decade.

Investment bank Goldman Sachs predicted US companies would not post any growth in earnings this year due to the virus’s spread.

Coronavirus face masks sell out as prices soar 800%: But do they really work and which one should you buy?

Coronavirus panic in Britain means face masks are selling out and online profiteers are ramping up the cost by up to £120 per pack - but experts are still split over whether they work at all.

More than 81,000 cases of coronavirus have been recorded across the world - and with the global death toll topping 2,800 and increasing every day in Europe more people in the UK are now choosing to cover their mouth and nose in public.

In Britain, there have been 15 confirmed coronavirus cases and the prices of masks are now rocketing as shops sell out. One pack of five 'anti-coronavirus' masks is on sale online for £150 today - when the cost of the same pack was less than £30 just five days ago.

However, one medical expert told MailOnline that masks 'cannot' protect against the virus and that wearing them may even make it worse. Meanwhile Public Health England has warned that there is 'very little evidence' that masks are effective 'outside of clinical settings' such as hospitals.

Yet recent testing by the Health and Safety Executive has found that any kind of protection is better than nothing.

The way you wear a mask is crucially importantly, academics say, because unless it is tight to the nose and mouth contaminated sneezes and coughs will get through - or linger on the surface.

People in masks at Holborn Underground Station today but experts are split over whether they work

So which face mask should you buy to protect against coronavirus? Experts have lab tested face masks used by NHS medics to try to stop patients giving them illnesses spread through the air like flu, ebola and other illnesses similar to coronavirus such as SARs. The Health and Safety Executive uses a specialist machine that sprays water droplets at a person wearing a mask to accurately replicate being hit with a cough or a sneeze. People wearing different types of mask were also sprayed five times from a metre away while breathing in. The same test was also done while standing still, walking towards someone and walking away to see how much, if any, of the spray got through. Here are the best and worst performers: Best - Mask respirator with filters - £22.99 from Screwfix Chances of getting coronavirus: 100 times less likely than wearing no mask Description: The NHS uses this kind of face mask to treat patients with the most dangerous airborne illnesses such as coronavirus, swine flu or ebola. It has the highest level of protection because it filters the air and has a rubber mouthpiece meaning that no droplets from a cough or sneeze could get into the mouth or nose. It also has multiple straps that ensure it is fitted tightly to a person's head and face. Safe bet - Mask respirator with no filter - £2.76 online Chances of getting coronavirus: 78 times less likely than wearing no mask Description: This cheaper face mask is designed to offer protection from gases, hazardous materials and a small amount of liquid. If a coronavirus sufferer sneezed or coughed in your face while wearing it it would still offer good protection. But because the mask is smaller, particles from the virus could linger on the face. It would have to be disposed of after one use. It should not get wet. Basic protection - standard surgical mask - 80p each online Chances of getting coronavirus: Six times less likely than wearing no mask Description: Surgical masks protect against large droplets, splashes and contact transmission with illnesses such as coronavirus. But testing by the Health and Safety Executive found that when a sneeze landed on them traces were found inside. The report on preventing the spread of swine flu says: 'They should not be used in situations where close exposure to infectious aerosols [sneezes and coughs] is likely. This level of protection might not sufficiently reduce the likelihood of transmission via this route'. Last resort - DIY mask using bra or a sanitary towel - cost FREE Chances of getting coronavirus: Two times less likely than wearing no mask In China people have used a female sanitary towel (left) or a bra - experts say a DIY mask is still better than nothing Description: The coronavirus pandemic in China has led to masks being unavailable in many of the hotspot regions. Desperate unable to buy face masks have deployed carved out melons, plastic bottles, even bras, sanitary towels and lettuce leaves There was an increase in DIY masks Chinese health officials warned people not to re-use their protective masks after videos emerged of people boiling their surgical masks and hanging them up to dry. A safety report by Cambridge University from 2013 said: 'Our findings suggest that a homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection'. Advertisement

Professor Brendan Wren from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that masks will not stop people from becoming infected and may even worsen its spread.

What is Public Health England's advice on wearing face masks? 'Face masks play a very important role in clinical settings, such as hospitals. 'However, there is very little evidence of widespread benefit from their use outside of these clinical settings. 'Facemasks must be worn correctly, changed frequently, removed properly, disposed of safely and used in combination with good universal hygiene behaviour in order for them to be effective. 'Research also shows that compliance with these recommended behaviours reduces over time when wearing facemasks for prolonged periods. 'People concerned about the transmission of infectious diseases would do better to prioritise good personal, respiratory and hand hygiene.' Dr Jake Dunning, head of emerging infections and zoonoses at Public Health England Advertisement

He said: 'The masks won't protect against the virus because it's so tiny. It is thousands of times smaller than bacteria.

'I don't think they do any good. They are smaller than air particles for pollution that we worry about. It will simply be breathed in.'

He added that masks may make the spread of the virus more likely if they become damp.

'They may make matters worse, [such as] if they become damp. If you have a cold or sneezing, sneezing into a mask can make matters worse.'

He added: 'The main purpose is a psychological thing they make people more aware but physically they are not a prevention'.

Dr Stephen Griffin, Associate Professor Section of Infection & Immunity, University of Leeds, said: 'Standard facemasks provide relatively little protection from respiratory aerosols – they can stop larger droplets and some studies have estimated an approx. 5-fold protection versus no barrier alone. Also, once they are worn for a time, they become moistened and protection diminishes further. Exhaled droplets also reduce in size quickly by evaporation, and of course virus particles are far smaller than the fibre mesh in these sorts of masks.

'However, wearing a mask can reduce the propensity for people to touch their faces, which happens many more times a day than we all realise and is a major source of infection without proper hand hygiene. They are also useful for people that are themselves symptomatic in stopping coughs and sneezes, primarily by encouraging good 'etiquette', i.e. catch it, bin it, kill it…

'There are higher specification masks that contain filters and, when properly fitted and sealed, provide significantly better protection. However, these aren't as easy to come by and are obviously more expensive.'

The World Health Organisation said masks had to be combined with good hand hygiene and other measures for them to have any positive effect.

They recommended that masks should only be worn by those with a cough, fever, or who people who have difficulty breathing.

They added: 'The main purpose is a psychological thing they make people more aware but physically they are not a prevention.'

One brand, marketed as an 'anti Coronavirus vented mask' on Amazon is being sold for £150, up from less than £30 just five days ago

On the website of pharmacist Boot's , 'Safe & Sound' surgical masks which were sold out last month continue to be unavailable

All masks being sold by Medisave, which sells medical supplies in the UK, are out of stock

At Screwfix, dust masks are still being sold but a message warns customers that there is a limit on the numbers they can purchase

And at Lloyds pharmacy, all surgical masks appear to have been removed from sale from their website

The spike in demand has meant that pharmacies including Boots and Lloyds are no longer selling masks online and stores are sold out.

Others listed at retailers including Amazon, Screwfix and Medisave are either sold out or have dramatically increased in price from £10 in December to nearly £80.

As of Thursday morning, ordinary surgical masks being sold on Amazon were far more expensive than last December, or even just a few days ago.

One listing for a pack of 50 surgical masks had jumped eight times in price, from £4.99 on December 1 to £39.20 on Thursday.

Another, for five masks with ear loops, sold by Cosy Cloud, has jumped from £6.99 just three days ago to £13.99 on Thursday.

A further listing for 10 masks, which was £10.99 on February 22 was being sold for £19.99 on Thursday.

Of more expensive masks, some of which are being marketed as protectors against Coronavirus - many have hiked dramatically in price.

One, a 3M Disposal Respirator, has jumped from just £20 on December 1 to £52 on Thursday.

Another similar product has gone from £10 at the beginning of December last year to £79.99 today.

Another listing for a respirator is now priced at £200, whereas it was just £24 in November last year.

Elsewhere, the masks are out of stock entirely. On the website of Medisave - which sells medical supplies in the UK - all masks are out of stock.

At Boot's pharmacist, 'Safe & Sound' surgical masks which were sold out last month continue to be unavailable.

The listing simply says 'stock coming soon' and there are no available alternatives.

And at Lloyds pharmacy, all surgical masks have been removed from sale from their website.

At Screwfix, dust masks are still being sold but a message warns customers that there is a limit on the numbers they can purchase.

It reads: 'Due to unprecedented global demand, orders containing more than 5 units of any mask will be reduced to 5 at the point of collection.'

Britons strip shop shelves of canned food and even bottled WATER amid growing fears people will be forced to spend weeks in isolation if coronavirus epidemic hits

Britons have already started panic buying water and canned food, with some even setting up 'isolation' rooms at home in case coronavirus shuts down their communities, it can be revealed today.

Among the essentials that worried families have been stockpiling include nappies, toilet roll, soup, tinned fruit, pet food, medicine, and wine.

Families are building up reserves to ensure their homes are 'fit for a pandemic' with some purchasing new chest freezers to fill with food and portable camp toilets to avoid sharing a loo if a relative tests positive for the killer virus.

A shortage of germ-killing antibacterial gel has seen a spurt in sales of surgical spirit on eBay and Amazon by people desperate to sanatise their hands, with Boots sold out today.

On social media one panicked Briton revealed that they have turned one small room in their house into an 'isolation zone' equipped with cooking equipment, bedding and food if they have to be in quarantine for a fortnight.

Another Mumsnet user said: 'I've cleaned and prepped the farm caravan so if needed it could be an isolation suite. Useful place to store surplus supplies, tinned food etc as well'.

Others are drawing up spreadsheets of the items they need to buy to last them weeks or months in self-isolation.

Professor Ratula Chakraborty, professor of business management at the University of East Anglia (UEA), said: 'The prospect of whole towns being in lockdown and shops closed is heightening the fear and stockpiling may become rife'.

Britons have admitted stockpiling items ranging from loo roll and tinned food to new freezers and toilets because of coronavirus

This Mumsnet user revealed her stockpiling shopping list on a thread called: 'Prepping for a pandemic', which included olive oil, dips, crackers, chocolate and printer paper

In a thread on coronavirus this user sent out her 'dear husband' to pick a large chest freezer to store more food

This user set out a plan for 'a house fit for a pandemic' once all the stockpiling is up to date

Experts believe the stockpiling of medicine and food in family homes 'may become rife' as people grow increasingly concerned about coronavirus disrupting British life.

Professor Chakraborty, said: 'One big opportunity for the supermarkets may be home delivery, where online grocery retailers could see a bonanza as consumers shy away from visiting stores and instead prefer to shop from the safety of their own homes.

'There is no immediate need to stockpile or panic buy any goods, but people should be prepared to help out and shop for vulnerable relatives and friends who are elderly or have underlying conditions which places them at a greater risk of developing severe symptoms if the coronavirus spreads.

In one discussion on Mumsnet, a poster asked if they were being unreasonable 'to be considering a small stockpile or supplies because of corona?'

They added: 'Reading about the Italian villages that have been put on lockdown and families can't leave their homes has got me thinking...Italy isn't a million miles away. It's not a third world country. If it's happened there...'

Almost 200 people responded to the message, with most saying they are also stockpiling tinned goods, toilet rolls and other supplies.

Boots is sold out of surgical spirit online, which people are using as an alternative to antibacterial hand gel, which is being rationed by some shops

This user has confired she is buying powdered egg for baking in case fresh ones become hard to come by

'Julie' was looking to order a camp toilet for at home. Some are concerned about sharing toilets at home if someone falls ill

Some have revealed they are building spreedsheets with lists of items they have bought, use by dates and meal plans

One said they were 'filling the cupboard with soup, tomatoes, tinned fruit, flour, crackers etc in advance.

'I'll still eat them all, but they last for months anyway, and when people are surging into supermarkets stripping the shelves I won't be adding to the masses worried they won't have enough. I'll be out of the way and not contributing to shortages.'

On Tuesday, an official at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned of the potential for 'severe' disruption to daily life in the event of coronavirus becoming a pandemic.

Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, said there was a need for 'new strategies'.

The CDC has been urging businesses, schools and families to prepare for a possible outbreak of Covid-19 in the US, including potentially allowing employees to work from home and internet-based lessons.

In the UK, England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has said school closures could occur if the virus spreads, while people could be asked to stay at home with their families.

Derbyshire town on lockdown after holidaymaker tests positive for virus A town in Derbyshire was in lockdown after a holidaymaker who had recently returned from a trip abroad tested positive for the virus. A primary school and GP practice in Buxton were closed yesterday to limit the spread. A couple who visited Tenerife are at the centre of the case, with one of them testing positive. It is believed they stayed at a hotel on the island. The woman, in her 40s, has a child at Burbage Primary School, which is closed for a deep clean. Buxton Medical Practice also closed as a precaution, with a voice message telling patients to not visit. And residents on one street were visited by officials in protective suits to be tested for possible infection. Burbage Primary School (pictured today chained up) in Buxton, Derbyshire, told parents and carers about the case last night. However, health chiefs have yet to confirm if it is correct Zoe Jones, 26, saw several ambulances visit a property in town on Wednesday night. Paramedics in hazard-style suits helped a person into the vehicle and they were taken to a hospital in Liverpool. The primary school announced its decision to shut on Wednesday night and informed parents with a WhatsApp message. School bosses emphasised that the decision had been taken for the safety and protection of children and teachers. Headteacher Anthony Tierney said: ‘We are shut, it is just a precaution. I can’t say anything more at the moment.’ The school – which has 347 pupils – will remain closed today for a deep clean. It emerged last night that the child attended the school on Monday and Tuesday but the infected adult had not visited. The Buxton Medical Practice was shut this morning, and patients ringing to book an appointment were told that it was because an infected patient had visited the GP surgery – despite official advice not to Dr Fu-Meng Khaw, centre director for Public Health England (PHE) East Midlands, said it was contacting people who had close contact with the patient. He added: ‘Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after contact.’ Several schools around the UK have closed over fears pupils and staff members may have been exposed to coronavirus during trips over the half-term break. But this case is believed to be the first to involve a closure linked to a confirmed case of the virus. Others have sent some staff and pupils home. But PHE says it is not advising schools to shut to stem the spread of the virus. Advertisement

'Treating the elderly would be sacrificed if coronavirus overwhelms UK': NHS would prioritise critical care for those most likely to survive rather than most vulnerable patients, senior doctors admit

by Leigh McManus

Doctors have admitted that the most vulnerable patients could be denied critical care in a severe coronavirus outbreak, as they also warned that the UK is dangerously unequipped to deal with a pandemic.

Under protocol dubbed 'Three Wise Men', senior medics at hospitals would need to decipher which patients to give care such as ventilators and beds to, with a focus on saving those most likely to recover.

The medics spoke to The Independent in the wake of 'dishonest' assurances from the Government that the UK can handle the virus which is rapidly spreading across Europe.

A man arrives at Euston Underground this morning wearing a mask, as coronavirus fears continue to mount in the UK

What is 'Three Wise Men?' In preparation for the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, the committee on Ethical Aspects of Pandemic Influenza (CEAPI) developed an ethical framework in 2007 and this was based on the principle of 'the three wise men'. This has since been reviewed post 2009, and the conclusions are that the framework remains appropriate to future pandemic management. According to the guidance, this means that: Everyone matters

Everyone matters equally – but this does not mean that everyone is treated the same

The interests of each person as the concern of all of us, and society

The harm that might be suffered by every person matters, and so minimising the harm that a pandemic might cause is a central concern The Framework goes on to describe eight core principles: Respect Minimising the harm that a pandemic could cause Fairness

Working together

Reciprocity

Keeping things in proportion

Flexibility

Good decision making Ethical considerations are important in determining how to make the fairest use of resources and capacity. Decisions should be in proportion to the demands of the pandemic and other existing pressures and should be aimed at minimising the overall harm caused by the pandemic. It should be noted that many people will also face personal dilemmas such as tensions between their personal and professional obligations. Source Advertisement

At the time of writing, 82,564 people are known to be infected with the disease while 2,809 have died as a result.

The England-based medics told the publication that the already struggling health service would 'crumble' under the weight of a large outbreak, one lamenting that their hospital even struggled to contain this winter's seasonal spate of flu and colds.

'If you can imagine the real worst-case scenarios where supply is massively outstripped by demand we would have to refuse to admit many people who would normally get ventilated,' one worried doctor said.

They added that Three Wise Men was developed by The Committee on Ethical Aspects of Pandemic Influenza 'to minimise the harm the pandemic causes,' despite disparities in care levels for sufferers.

On the Government's claims that the UK is equipped to deal with a pandemic, the doctor rubbished them, branding the comments 'nonsense'.

Another doctor added: 'If this is like the 2009 flu it's going to be very bad. We're in a worse position than we were then. If it's worse than that we're going to be in deep trouble.'

He added further, that the reduction in UK intensive care beds in recent years 'was scandalous'.

Another critical care consultant from a major south London hospital said: 'We would be making decisions about people's lives. There just isn't any slack in the system. We are grossly under resourced.'

This doctor, a geriatrician from the West Midlands, also refuted claims from the NHS that the service is equipped. They branded the comments 'nonsense' and 'media spin'.

The medical professional added that on a 'person to person basis' the disease and care for it is nothing to worry about, only for those who would require critical care.

One consultant said Three Wise Men had been brought up in recent weeks while another medic from the North of England said it had been mentioned at their hospital informally.

A passenger on the Jubilee line of the London Underground wears a face mask today. Fifteen cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed in the UK

A Government spokesperson said: 'The UK is a world leader in preparing for and managing disease outbreaks, and our approach will always be led by medical experts.

'We have been clear from the outset that we expect coronavirus to have some impact on the UK and a global pandemic could have a pronounced effect on the NHS, which is why we are planning for every eventuality.

'Public safety is our top priority and we have a team of public health experts and scientists working round the clock to make sure the NHS and UK more widely is fully prepared.'

British coronavirus patient David Abel dances to 'I've had the time of my life' as he entertains Facebook followers after being admitted to hospital from Diamond Princess cruise liner quarantine

A British man who was infected with coronavirus has been filmed dancing to 'I've had the time of my life' following his release from the bug-ridden Diamond Princess cruise liner.

Footage shows David Abel, who is wearing a hospital dressing gown, busting some 80s style dance moves to the Dirty Dancing classic, where he is being treated for pneumonia at a hospital in Japan.

He slowly approaches the camera while wiggling his hips before sashaying back and forth.

David Abel, who was infected with coronavirus, has been filmed dancing to 'I've had the time of my life' following his release from the Diamond Princess cruise liner off the coast of Japan. He busts some 80s style moves in his hospital room

The 74-year-old father, who was on the cruise for his 50th wedding anniversary, appears in a world of his own as he enthusiastically waves his arms in a circular motion.

He then tells the viewers 'come on, bend those knees' as he squats and moves closer to the camera.

The Brit then mimics someone choking and his wife Sally tells him to 'stop it' - which he struggles to hide his amusement.

He tells viewers to 'bend those knees' as he squats before waving his arms in the air during his dance routine. The father underwent a series of medical tests with his wife Sally after they were taken off the quarantined ship and to a hospital in Yokohama

David, from Northamptonshire, grabs a natural sea sponge as a prop for his 80s inspired dance. He pretends to wash his under arms as he sashays up close to the camera. It comes as more than 82,000 people across the world have caught the virus and 2,800 have died

Seconds later, he readjusts as his 'pants are falling down' but this isn't enough to pull him away from the camera.

He seems unable to hold back as he grabs a natural sea sponge and pretends to wash his under arms.

David, from Northamptonshire, then says: 'There we go, just a little bit of fun.'

David posted a picture of his wife, Sally, also getting treated. She was also taken off the cruise after she tested positive

David (pictured) and Sally Abel, from Northamptonshire, underwent a series of medical tests after they were taken off the quarantined ship and to a hospital in Yokohama

The video, uploaded to YouTube, was shared just days after their son Stephen and wife Roberta said the bug-riddled couple had been dealing with 'nasty' online trolls and urged people watching their videos to 'be kind'.

They were accused of 'milking it' while living in quarantine.

It comes after a Japanese man in his 80s from the virus-stricken ship has died, bringing the death total from the liner to three.

Alan Steele, from Wolverhampton, was on his honeymoon with his wife, Wendy, when the coronavirus outbreak broke out on the Diamond Princess cruise ship

Despite a quarantine imposed on the Diamond Princess, more than 600 people on board tested positive for the virus, with several dozen in serious condition.

Alan Steele, from Wolverhampton, was the first Brit to contract the killer virus on board the cruise ship.

More than 82,000 people across the world have caught the virus and 2,800 have died – Antarctica is the only continent yet to record a case.