Update on Coronavirus

It has been confirmed by the Chief Medical Officer for England that four further patients have tested positive for novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to eight.
This means that five out of the eight current confirmed cases in the UK were reported in Brighton & Hove (6 miles From Peacehaven).

Advice from Meridian Surgery and Rowe Avenue Surgery:

If you have symptoms of a cough, fever or shortness of breath please do not come to the surgery or go to A&E! Please call NHS 111 for advice.

How to avoid catching or spreading germs:

There's currently no vaccine for coronavirus.
But there are things you can do to help stop germs like coronavirus spreading;

• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin straight away
• wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

Information about the virus:

A coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world. Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.
Novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China.

Travellers from Wuhan and Hubei Province:

If you have travelled from Wuhan or Hubei Province to the UK in the last 14 days you should immediately:
stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the area
In Scotland phone your GP or NHS 24 on 111 out of hours. If you are in Northern Ireland, call 0300 200 7885.
Please follow this advice even if you do not have symptoms of the virus.
Travellers from other parts of China and other specified areas

This advice applies to travellers who have returned to the UK from the following areas:

China
Thailand
Japan
Republic of Korea
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Singapore
Malaysia
Macau
If you have returned to the UK from any of these areas in the last 14 days and develop symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, you should immediately:
stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country
Please follow this advice even if your symptoms are minor.

The latest information from Public Health England is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus