Holiday Inn will be used for those considered to be at risk but with nowhere else to go

A Holiday Inn at Heathrow airport has been block-booked to be used as a quarantine facility in anticipation of more potential coronavirus cases arriving in the UK.

The hotel will be used for those considered at risk but with nowhere else to go, the Department of Health confirmed. This includes space for people to self-isolate if they have been advised to, and to be tested for the virus and await results.

Guests booked to stay at the Heathrow Ariel hotel on Bath Road have been transferred to sister hotels.

The move comes as the government considers an evacuation flight to bring home the Britons stuck on the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship in Japan, where 454 people have now been diagnosed with the disease.

The Foreign Office is in contact with the 74 British nationals on the Diamond Princess ship in Yokohama about the possibility of repatriation flights.

What is coronavirus and what should I do if I have symptoms? Read more

A No 10 spokesperson said: “We sympathise with all those caught up in this extremely difficult situation. The Foreign Office is in contact with all British people on the Diamond Princess, including to establish interest in a possible repatriation flight. We are urgently considering all options to guarantee the health and safety of those on board.”

The government has come under mounting pressure to bring back those stuck on the ship, with other countries organising or having organised flights for their citizens.

The US flew more than 300 American citizens out on Sunday, 14 of whom tested positive for the virus before getting on the plane, but were allowed to travel in isolation from the other passengers. All others will stay in quarantine for 14 days in the US.

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.

Other countries including Canada, Australia, Italy, South Korea and Israel have all made plans to evacuate their citizens from the ship.

In a video uploaded to YouTube, a British passenger, David Abel, said: “It is all getting to us now. It is the not knowing factor that is the real challenge.”

Abel, who is travelling with his wife, Sally, said he had heard reports among passengers that those who had been tested were not notified if their results were negative.

He also said he had heard stories of passengers receiving a knock at their cabin door and being “frogmarched off” without time to pack if they had tested positive for the disease.

“That is frightening,” said Abel, who along with his wife has yet to hear back about his coronavirus test results. “I am going to start packing a bag just in case.”

The couple had previously reached out to the Virgin Atlantic boss, Richard Branson, for help. On Sunday night Branson tweeted: “Virgin Atlantic does not fly to Japan, but we are in discussions with the UK government and seeing if there is anything we can do to help.”

The ship’s two-week quarantine is due to end on Wednesday, although any passengers who shared a cabin with someone who has tested positive face an extra two weeks on the ship.

Citizens from many other countries will undergo further quarantine when they arrive home. It has yet to be confirmed whether UK nationals will face similar measures if they are repatriated.