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15 students from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the heart of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, visited Cambridge this week.

Over the course of nine days, Jesus College in Cambridge hosted visitors from Wuhan College for an educational enrichment programme.

While staying in our city the students experienced a range of lectures, talks and visits around the University of Cambridge, as well as going on a night out and day trips to London and Oxford.

The news of the visit comes days after the announcement that globally, there are more than 500 confirmed cases of the virus, which has killed 18 people in China.

Today, Friday, January 24, Health Secretary Matt Hancock stated that there is an "increased likelihood" of cases being confirmed in the UK.

Fourteen people in the UK have now been tested for the virus, Public Health England said.

(Image: Keith Jones)

Wuhan, which has a population of 11 million people, has gone into lockdown with authorities suspending planes and trains in and out of the city.

Posting about the visit on their website, Jesus College said: "From January 13-22 2020, Jesus College welcomed 15 visitors from Wuhan College, China, for an educational enrichment programme.

"The students experienced a range of lectures, talks and visits around the University of Cambridge, gaining insight into student life and British higher education."

The College also said: "Beyond receiving a full programme of lectures, workshops and museum tours, the students greatly enjoyed the opportunity to share a dinner with students from Cambridge Chinese Society and Cam+, as well as having a night out in Cambridge with the Jesus College Student Union, while also venturing out to sight-see London and Oxford."

Universities across the UK are closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and have followed Foreign Office advice warning people not to travel to the affected region.

Students who are considering travelling home to China for Chinese new year have been warned that they may not be readmitted to the UK immediately when they try to return.

What is the coronavirus in Wuhan?

(Image: PA)

The World Health Organization says that coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

These viruses are transmitted between animals and people. SARS, for instance, was believed to have been transmitted from civet cats to humans while MERS travelled from a type of camel to humans.

Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

The name coronavirus comes from the Latin word corona, meaning crown or halo. Under an electron microscope, the image of the virus is reminiscent of a solar corona.

A novel coronavirus, identified by Chinese authorities on January 7 and currently named 2019-nCoV, is a new strain that had not been previously identified in humans.

Little is known about it, although human-to-human transmission has been confirmed.

What are the symptoms caused by Wuhan coronavirus?

According to the WHO, signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

While most cases report a mild illness, severe are also being reported, some of whom require intensive care. In more severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

A number of fatalities have been reported already this year from the coronavirus in Wuhan.

Jesus College have been approached for comment