More than 400 people have now died from the killer virus (Picture: Getty)

The Foreign Office has warned against all but essential travel to mainland China as the death toll from the coronavirus soars.

Travel advice has now changed with the UK government warning: ‘If you’re in China and able to leave, you should do so.’

The death toll now stands at 425 with over 20,000 people infected.

At the weekend, the UK government removed all but essential diplomatic staff from its missions in China.


A guard checks the temperature of a woman entering Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong (Picture: EPA)

A total of 94 UK nationals and family members have also been evacuated from Hubei province and are in quarantine at Arrowe Park hospital on the Wirral.

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic announced they were suspending flights to and from mainland China.



Other commercial airlines are still operating but the UK government say it will become increasingly difficult to leave China over the coming weeks.

In a statement this afternoon, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: ‘The safety and security of British people will always be our top priority.

‘As such, we now advise British Nationals in China to leave the country if they can, to minimise their risk of exposure to the virus.

‘Where there are still British Nationals in Hubei Province who wish to be evacuated, we will continue to work around the clock to facilitate this.’

It is thought there are around 30,000 British nationals currently in China.

Medical staff wave to a photographer on a rooftop after transferring patients to the newly completed Huoshenshan temporary field Hospital in Wuhan, Hubei Province (Picture: EPA)

The worst hit province of Hubei is under lockdown while the Chinese government has imposed restrictions on movements within China.

Many roads, railways and airports are now closed and there are strict controls over entry to villages and towns.

Hong Kong reported its first death from coronavirus today although the updated travel advice from the Foreign Office does not apply to the territory or Macau.

Australia and the USA has announced travel bans on anyone from China entering their countries over fears of spreading the coronavirus.

The Coronavirus has confirmed cases across the world and deaths in China, Hong Kong and the Philippines

Today, China’s top leadership has admitted ‘shortcomings and deficiencies’ in its response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan.

The rare admission came from the Politburo Standing Committee, which called for an improvement in China’s emergency management system.

The number of deaths in China, excluding Hong Kong, now exceeds the 349 killed on the mainland during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2002-2003.

But the mortality rate of the new virus is about 2.1% – much lower than the Sars rate of 9.6% suggesting it is not as deadly.

China has constructed a hospital within days to treat patients with coronavirus (Picture: Getty)

Coronavirus has now spread to at least 25 countries.

There are two cases in the UK with both people being treated at Newcastle’s Royal Victory Infirmary.

Those infected have not been identified but one is known to be a student at the University of York while the other is a relative.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he expects there to be more cases and the UK is working with other countries to develop a vaccine.

British officials are trying to trace 239 people who flew from the Chinese city of Wuhan to the UK before travel restrictions associated with the coronavirus came into force.