A hotel in York is at the centre of Britain’s coronavirus scare, after its guests were confirmed as the first two known cases of the virus in the UK.

The pair, now being treated at a specialist NHS unit in Newcastle, had been taken away by paramedics in Hazmat suits, after falling ill at the Stay City Hotel.

They were two members of the same family, understood to be tourists who came from China on holiday to the UK in recent days.

Health officials are now attempting to track down anyone who came into contact with them during their three day stay at the 220-bed hotel.But questions have been raised about why the hotel had been allowed to remain open for business.

The firm said it had been advised by Public Health England (PHE) that there is “minimal ongoing risk of infection” to guests or staff, and said the apartment - currently sealed off - would undergo a thorough clean.

Officials are still trying to contact almost 500 people who flew in from Wuhan in recent weeks, in a bid to persuade them to “self-isolate” themselves.