Birmingham has been the centre of a UK-based coronavirus scare after a man who had recently returned from Wuhan in China was taken to hospital by healthcare professionals. One of the men was wearing an outfit specifically equipped for dealing with hazardous materials.
The man escorted to the ambulance is Drew Bennett, 39, from Harborne in south west Birmingham. He told Birmingham Live he'd flown back from Wuhan - the epicentre of the virus outbreak that has killed more than 100 people so far - on 31 December.
Bennett's developed flu-like symptoms, and currently remains in hospital awaiting the results of blood testing.
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The Department for Health and Social Care tweeted this afternoon to confirm there have been 97 tests for potential infection in the UK, all of which have proven negative.
Upon his return from Wuhan, Bennett explained that he took to his bed, believing he'd contracted a bad case of flu.
However, once his symptoms subsided he went to his GP for a separate issue, and it emerged that he'd recently travelled to China and been unwell afterwards.
His GP sent him home, an ambulance was called, and he was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Now, he's in isolation whilst his blood tests are analysed. He's been there since Monday (27 January).
He said: "I had been in Wuhan on holiday over Christmas and came back to Harborne on 31 December.
"Once I got back I was really ill with, what I thought, was a bad case of the flu. At that stage coronavirus hadn't really been mentioned so I thought nothing of it.
"However, when I went to the GP on Monday and he asked as a precaution if I had been to China, he seemed really concerned.
"I was sent home and before I knew it, ambulances and people in hazmat suits had turned up."
He continued: "I'm now in isolation at the QE [Queen Elizabeth Hospital] and just waiting to get my blood test results.
"I don't feel particularly unwell now, but I've not been 100 percent since returning from Wuhan.
"Since I got over the worst symptoms I've been back to work, shopping, just normal life.
"It's a really worrying time and not a nice experience."
A spokesperson for Public Health England told LADbible: "There are no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the UK and we will not providing rolling updates on tests that are underway by PHE.
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"When a clinician assesses someone who meets the case definition for novel coronavirus, they take samples from the nose, throat and deeper respiratory tract and send these samples to PHE Colindale. PHE can provide a laboratory result from this specific virus in 24 hours."
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the incident was being dealt with by the Department of Health.
The Department of Health said they were unable to comment on specific cases.
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