Coronavirus in Oxfordshire

The first two cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Oxfordshire.   Oxfordshire County Council has today announced it is working with specialists from Public Health England and the NHS colleagues following the news.

Both cases are believed to be associated with foreign travel and are not linked to each other.

Alison Barnett, Centre Director for Public Health England South East, said: “Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with the latest confirmed cases of COVID-19.

“Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after contact with the confirmed case. This tried and tested method will ensure we are able to minimise any risk to them and the wider public.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Public Health, Ansaf Azhar, said: “I’d like to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains low and we are working with health colleagues to do everything we can to stop the virus spreading and ensure the people of Oxfordshire are protected.

“If you have not been contacted by Public Health England as a close contact of the confirmed cases you do not need to take any action at this time.”

Government guidance to prevent further spread of the illness and limit the numbers affected includes taking basic hygiene precautions such as sneezing or coughing into a tissue which is then binned, washing your hands frequently and not touching your face unless you’ve just washed your hands.

The symptoms of coronavirus include a cough, a high temperature and a shortness of breath.   Anyone with symptoms is urged to call 111 initially.

It is not yet known which part of Oxfordshire the two confirmed cases are from.

Image: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

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Published: 05/03/2020 05:12pm by Banbury FM Newsteam

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