Selasa, 03 Maret 2020

Coronavirus: Up to fifth of UK workers 'could be off sick at same time' - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Up to a fifth of the workforce may be off sick during the peak of a coronavirus epidemic in the UK, the government says in its latest plans.

Police may need to focus on only the most serious crimes and maintaining public order if the virus spreads.

The military could also provide support to emergency services if needed.

The government's response is in its first stage - containing the outbreak - with the number of UK cases rising from 39 to 51 on Tuesday.

If the virus becomes widespread, some non-urgent hospital care may be delayed to focus on treating those who are infected, while recently retired doctors and nurses may be called back to work.

Other possible measures include school closures, reducing large-scale gatherings and working from home.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government was committed to doing "everything possible" to "prepare for all eventualities" and its priority was keeping the country safe.

Speaking in the House of Commons later, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was "becoming more likely we will see widespread transmission" of the virus across the UK.

He said that tackling the spread was "a national effort", adding: "We need everyone to listen to and act on official medical advice."

What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

While the vast majority of patients will have a mild to moderate illness, similar to seasonal flu, a minority will require hospital care and a small proportion could die, the plans warn.

There are no estimates given in the plans but they do warn of an increase in deaths, particularly among vulnerable and elderly groups.

Young children can become infected and "suffer severe illness", but overall the illness is less common in the under-20s.

It is possible an outbreak could come in multiple waves, the government said.

Wales' chief medical officer has suggested cases of coronavirus could increase from April with a peak in May or June.

The next stages of the government's response are delaying the spread of the virus and mitigating its impact once it becomes established.

Alongside this, a research programme is aiming to improve diagnostics and treatment for the disease.

The prime minister said he "fully understood" the public concern about the spread of the virus and it was "highly likely" the UK would see a growing number of cases.

"That's why keeping the country safe is the government's overriding priority, and our plan means we are committed to doing everything possible, based on the advice of our world-leading scientific experts, to prepare for all eventualities," Mr Johnson said.

He reiterated that the "single most important thing" people could do was wash their hands with soap and hot water for the length of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

"But at this stage… I want to stress that for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual," Mr Johnson added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

The prime minister said schools should stay open "if possible" and follow advice from Public Health England.

Evidence suggested children were less likely to be infected and they were more likely to get mild symptoms, England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty added.

Closures would also bring "a considerable burden", including on the NHS, as workers would need to stay at home to look after their children.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there were currently no plans to postpone the London Marathon nor to restrict public transport.

Other measures in the plan include:

  • Hospital discharges could be monitored to free-up beds, with appropriate care given in people's homes
  • Helping businesses with short-term cash flow problems, including giving them longer to pay bills
  • A "distribution strategy" for the UK's stockpiles of key medicines and equipment such as protective clothing, which will cover the NHS and could extend to social care
  • All government departments are to have a lead person for coronavirus

The battle plan stops short of predicting how many people would be infected in an epidemic in the UK.

Worst case scenario modelling suggests 80% of people can become infected when there is a new virus like this.

But officials believe it will not be this high.

The evidence suggests just over half of people infected develop symptoms and 1% of those infected could die. The elderly and those with existing health conditions are the most at risk.

If there is a widespread transmission - which seems highly likely at this stage - it could take two or three months to peak. The peak would last two or three weeks and about 50% of people who become infected could become infected in those peak weeks.

There would then be a period of two or three months of declining cases, although the battle plan acknowledges there could be multiple waves.

The government is likely to use its most drastic measures at its disposal just ahead of the peak in an attempt to flatten it.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney said policymakers stand ready to help businesses and households through an economic shock caused by the virus that could "prove large but will ultimately be temporary".

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has ordered Treasury officials to work up plans to support the public health response, businesses and the economy in his Budget on 11 March.

The health secretary told MPs that people who needed to self-isolate to protect others were entitled to sick pay.

However, Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has called for emergency legislation to ensure those working on insecure contracts in the gig economy were also guaranteed sick pay.

He also urged the government to provide emergency funding to help the NHS deal with the outbreak.

As of Monday morning, the Department of Health said 13,525 people had been tested in the UK. Out of the positive cases, 12 people have recovered.

Globally, about 86,000 people have been infected, with cases in more than 50 countries. More than 3,000 people have died - the vast majority in China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated in December.

What questions do you have about the UK's preparations?

In some cases your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Use this form to ask your question:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in.

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2020-03-03 13:37:23Z
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Coronavirus: Up to fifth of UK workers 'could be off sick at same time' - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Up to a fifth of the workforce may be off sick during the peak of a coronavirus epidemic in the UK, the government says in its latest plans.

Police may need to focus on only the most serious crimes and maintaining public order if the virus spreads.

The military could also provide support to emergency services if needed.

The government's response is in its first stage - containing the outbreak - with the number of UK cases rising from 39 to 51 on Tuesday.

If the virus becomes widespread, some non-urgent hospital care may be delayed to focus on treating those who are infected, while recently retired doctors and nurses may be called back to work.

Other possible measures include school closures, reducing large-scale gatherings and working from home.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government was committed to doing "everything possible" to "prepare for all eventualities" and its priority was keeping the country safe.

Speaking in the House of Commons later, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was "becoming more likely we will see widespread transmission" of the virus across the UK.

He said that tackling the spread was "a national effort", adding: "We need everyone to listen to and act on official medical advice."

What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

While the vast majority of patients will have a mild to moderate illness, similar to seasonal flu, a minority will require hospital care and a small proportion could die, the plans warn.

There are no estimates given in the plans but they do warn of an increase in deaths, particularly among vulnerable and elderly groups.

Young children can become infected and "suffer severe illness", but overall the illness is less common in the under-20s.

It is possible an outbreak could come in multiple waves, the government said.

Wales' chief medical officer has suggested cases of coronavirus could increase from April with a peak in May or June.

The next stages of the government's response are delaying the spread of the virus and mitigating its impact once it becomes established.

Alongside this, a research programme is aiming to improve diagnostics and treatment for the disease.

The prime minister said he "fully understood" the public concern about the spread of the virus and it was "highly likely" the UK would see a growing number of cases.

"That's why keeping the country safe is the government's overriding priority, and our plan means we are committed to doing everything possible, based on the advice of our world-leading scientific experts, to prepare for all eventualities," Mr Johnson said.

He reiterated that the "single most important thing" people could do was wash their hands with soap and hot water for the length of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

"But at this stage… I want to stress that for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual," Mr Johnson added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

The prime minister said schools should stay open "if possible" and follow advice from Public Health England.

Evidence suggested children were less likely to be infected and they were more likely to get mild symptoms, England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty added.

Closures would also bring "a considerable burden", including on the NHS, as workers would need to stay at home to look after their children.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there were currently no plans to postpone the London Marathon nor to restrict public transport.

Other measures in the plan include:

  • Hospital discharges could be monitored to free-up beds, with appropriate care given in people's homes
  • Helping businesses with short-term cash flow problems, including giving them longer to pay bills
  • A "distribution strategy" for the UK's stockpiles of key medicines and equipment such as protective clothing, which will cover the NHS and could extend to social care
  • All government departments are to have a lead person for coronavirus

The battle plan stops short of predicting how many people would be infected in an epidemic in the UK.

Worst case scenario modelling suggests 80% of people can become infected when there is a new virus like this.

But officials believe it will not be this high.

The evidence suggests just over half of people infected develop symptoms and 1% of those infected could die. The elderly and those with existing health conditions are the most at risk.

If there is a widespread transmission - which seems highly likely at this stage - it could take two or three months to peak. The peak would last two or three weeks and about 50% of people who become infected could become infected in those peak weeks.

There would then be a period of two or three months of declining cases, although the battle plan acknowledges there could be multiple waves.

The government is likely to use its most drastic measures at its disposal just ahead of the peak in an attempt to flatten it.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney said policymakers stand ready to help businesses and households through an economic shock caused by the virus that could "prove large but will ultimately be temporary".

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has ordered Treasury officials to work up plans to support the public health response, businesses and the economy in his Budget on 11 March.

The health secretary told MPs that people who needed to self-isolate to protect others were entitled to sick pay.

However, Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has called for emergency legislation to ensure those working on insecure contracts in the gig economy were also guaranteed sick pay.

He also urged the government to provide emergency funding to help the NHS deal with the outbreak.

As of Monday morning, the Department of Health said 13,525 people had been tested in the UK. Out of the positive cases, 12 people have recovered.

Globally, about 86,000 people have been infected, with cases in more than 50 countries. More than 3,000 people have died - the vast majority in China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated in December.

What questions do you have about the UK's preparations?

In some cases your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Use this form to ask your question:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in.

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2020-03-03 13:30:00Z
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Coronavirus: Up to fifth of UK workers 'off sick at same time' - BBC News

Up to a fifth of the workforce may be off sick during the peak of a coronavirus epidemic in the UK, the government says in its latest plans.

Police may need to focus on only responding to the most serious crimes and maintaining public order if the virus spreads.

The military could also provide support to emergency services if needed.

Other possible measures include school closures, reducing large-scale gatherings and working from home.

Some non-urgent hospital care may be delayed to focus on treating coronavirus patients, while recently retired doctors and nurses may be called back to work.

At a conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government was committed to doing "everything possible" to "prepare for all eventualities" and its priority was keeping the country safe, as the number of cases in the UK rose to 39.

What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

While the vast majority of patients will have a mild to moderate illness, similar to seasonal flu, a minority will require hospital care and a small proportion could die, the plans warn.

There are no estimates given in the plans but they do warn of an increase in deaths, particularly among vulnerable and elderly groups.

Young children can become infected and "suffer severe illness", but overall the illness is less common in the under-20s.

It is possible an outbreak could come in multiple waves, the government said.

The prime minister said he "fully understood" the public concern about the spread of the virus and it was "highly likely" the UK would see a growing number of cases.

"That's why keeping the country safe is the government's overriding priority, and our plan means we are committed to doing everything possible, based on the advice of our world-leading scientific experts, to prepare for all eventualities," Mr Johnson said.

He reiterated that the "single most important thing" people could do was wash their hands with soap and hot water for the length of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

"But at this stage… I want to stress that for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual," Mr Johnson added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

The prime minister said schools should stay open "if possible" and follow advice from Public Health England.

Evidence suggested children were less likely to be infected and they were more likely to get mild symptoms, England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty added.

Closures would also bring "a considerable burden", including on the NHS, as workers would need to stay at home to look after their children.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there were currently no plans to postpone the London Marathon nor to restrict public transport.

Other measures in the plan include:

  • Hospital discharges could be monitored to free-up beds, with appropriate care given in people's homes.
  • Helping businesses with short-term cash flow problems, including giving them longer to pay bills.
  • A "distribution strategy" for the UK's stockpiles of key medicines and equipment such as protective clothing, which will cover the NHS and could extend to social care.
  • All government departments are to have a lead person for coronavirus.

The battle plan stops short of predicting how many people would be infected in an epidemic in the UK.

Worst case scenario modelling suggests 80% of people can become infected when there is a new virus like this.

But officials believe it will not be this high.

The evidence suggests just over half of people infected develop symptoms and 1% of those infected could die. The elderly and those with existing health conditions are the most at risk.

If there is a widespread transmission - which seems highly likely at this stage - it could take two or three months to peak. The peak would last two or three weeks and around 50% of people who become infected could become infected in those peak weeks.

There would then be a period of two or three months of declining cases, although the battle plan acknowledges there could be multiple waves.

The government is likely to use its most drastic measures at its disposal just ahead of the peak in an attempt to flatten it.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney said policymakers stand ready to help businesses and households through an economic shock caused by the virus that could "prove large but will ultimately be temporary".

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has ordered Treasury officials to work up plans to support the public health response, businesses and the economy in his Budget on 11 March.

As of Monday morning, the Department of Health said 13,525 people had been tested in the UK, of which 13,485 were negative. Out of the positive cases, 12 people have recovered.

Globally, about 86,000 people have been infected, with cases in more than 50 countries. More than 3,000 people have died - the vast majority in China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated in December.

What questions do you have about the UK's preparations?

In some cases your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Use this form to ask your question:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in.

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2020-03-03 10:31:45Z
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Senin, 02 Maret 2020

Coronavirus cases in UK could rise 'significantly', says PM - BBC News

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There could be a "very significant expansion" of the number of cases of coronavirus in the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned.

Speaking to BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Johnson said the possibility of further transmission of the virus was "clearly on the cards".

It comes as the number of cases in the UK rose to 39 on Monday.

Meanwhile, the EU has raised the coronavirus risk level in member states to "moderate to high".

There were four new UK cases announced on Monday, all of whom had travelled to Italy - which has seen the largest outbreak in Europe.

They are from Hertfordshire, Devon and Kent and tracing their contacts has started, England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty said.

It was earlier reported that this took the total to 40. However, a hospital in Middlesex where a doctor was thought to have contracted the virus on Sunday said further tests have proved negative.

What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

A panel of experts and BBC reporters will be answering your questions about the coronavirus outbreak in a special programme on BBC One at 19:30 GMT on Monday

The prime minister said: "The most important thing now is that we prepare against a possible very significant expansion of coronavirus in the UK population."

It is "much more likely than not that we will face a challenge in the weeks, months ahead," he said, adding that the country was "well prepared with a fantastic NHS".

Mr Johnson said that "further protective measures" against the spread of the disease would be announced "as and when that spread happens".

"Don't forget the importance of washing your hands," he added.

  • How have you been affected by the spread of Covid-19? Share your experience by emailinghaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

The prime minister was speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting where ministers discussed plans to tackle the spread of coronavirus in the UK - due to be published on Tuesday.

Mr Johnson said plans would include a "range of calibrated responses to the spread of coronavirus".

He said the issue with measures such as closing schools and cancelling major public events would be "when and how and with what logic to deploy them".

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson later confirmed that schools "should stay open unless they're advised otherwise by Public Health England".

The Budget will go ahead as planned on 11 March, despite the impact of the outbreak on the UK and global economy, Downing Street said.

All Six Nations rugby matches currently scheduled are set to go ahead, including Saturday's England v Wales fixture, it has been confirmed.

Elsewhere, Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned the nation should prepare for a "significant outbreak" of coronavirus.

There has so far been one confirmed case in Scotland, involving a patient who had recently travelled to Italy. Ms Sturgeon said that future cases were likely in the "days to come".

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Earlier, Public Health England (PHE) said widespread transmission of coronavirus in the UK was now "highly likely".

Medical director Prof Paul Cosford said the increase in cases in the UK and abroad meant the UK must be prepared.

If the outbreak worsens, the government has said measures could include asking newly retired doctors and nurses to return to the NHS.

People could also be urged to work from home - and closing schools and cancelling major public events have also not been ruled out.

Legislation allowing the government to use extra powers to help control the spread of the virus is expected to go through Parliament by the end of March.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Meanwhile, British holidaymakers who were quarantined at a hotel in Tenerife are returning home after testing negative for the virus.

More than 700 guests, including hundreds of Britons, were told to isolate at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace last week after a group of Italians contracted the virus.

A Jet2 plane believed to be carrying about 100 passengers from the hotel took off on a dedicated flight on Monday afternoon, and is due to land at Manchester and Belfast later.

Once home, the group must isolate themselves until the original quarantine period ends on 10 March.

Travel firm Tui confirmed 17 of its customers were flown back to the UK on two separate flights to Bristol and Newcastle on Sunday night.

The company's remaining 19 guests will be flown home on Tuesday, subject to their test results, a spokeswoman said.

In other developments:

  • British Airways has cancelled hundreds of flights between 6 March and 28 March over the outbreak, including flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports
  • Ryanair has also reduced the number of flights on some routes, in particular to and from Italy, by up to 25% due to a drop in demand
  • London hospitality body UK Hospitality, which represents hotels, venues and restaurants has told BBC London that its members in the capital are currently seeing a 10-15% reduction in bookings
  • Northern Ireland pubs have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds while feeling the "pain" of the coronavirus crisis, an industry chief has claimed
  • Amazon has pulled out of London Book Fair, which is scheduled to begin on 10 March

Where are the latest UK cases?

There are now 36 cases of coronavirus in England, and one case each in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

On Monday, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, which occupies a space at Vinters Business Park - home to Maidstone Studios - said a worker had been diagnosed with the virus.

The trust said its staff member did not come into contact with patients, and its employees are working from home.

ITV Meridian, which uses Maidstone Studios, has also sent home staff who were at the site last week.

A pupil at a secondary school in Torbay, Devon, has also been diagnosed.

In Hertfordshire, Davenport House Surgery in Harpenden said a patient has been diagnosed with the virus, while a school in Stevenage said a parent has tested positive.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Some 13 new patients in the UK were diagnosed on Sunday, including a member of staff at Wimbledon College.

Three cases in England were linked to a man from Surrey, who was the first patient not to have been abroad recently and was instead infected within the UK.

Meanwhile, a clinician at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood, Middlesex, had been confirmed positive but has since tested negative, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust said.

As of 09:00 GMT on Monday, the Department of Health said a total of 13,525 people had been tested in the UK, of which 13,485 were negative.

Globally, about 86,000 people have been infected, with cases in more than 50 countries. More than 3,000 people have died - the vast majority in China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated in December.

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2020-03-02 18:44:27Z
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UK military gears up for deployment in Mali - BBC News

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Britain is significantly stepping up its military support in West Africa to help combat the world's fastest growing Islamist-led insurgency.

Over the past month, British troops have been helping train local forces to fight extremism in the Sahel.

The region, a semi-arid stretch of land just south of the Sahara Desert, has been a frontline in the war against Islamist militancy for almost a decade.

Later this year, 250 British soldiers will join a UN mission in Mali.

It has been described as the most dangerous peacekeeping operation in the world.

In Senegal, a team of around 30 UK soldiers and Royal Marines have been training special forces from a number of West African nations in a US-led counter-terrorism exercise involving more than 1,600 troops.

Maj John House has been leading the British element of the training in Senegal with the focus on infantry skills and counter-terrorism operations.

He said it was in Britain's interests to get more involved in the region.

"If we don't act we may find the problems getting closer to our door," he said. "The more they have a presence in the region, the more we can feel the effect back in the UK."

Officers from US Special Operations Command Africa, which has been responsible for overseeing the exercise, are just as blunt.

US Maj Chris Giaquinto said the extremists "want to create a safe haven in Africa in order to grow and facilitate attacks, possibly in Europe or the United States".

There are now multiple extremist groups operating across the sub-Saharan region known as the Sahel. They include ones linked to the so-called Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Commander Djibril Diawara, of the Senegalese Armed Forces, described the situation as "alarming".

Over the past year the extremists have spread south from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

The exercise culminated with special forces troops from Cameroon, Morocco and Nigeria conducting a raid on a village to take out an unspecified group of extremists.

Some of those involved have already been doing this for real. Lt Unyine Collins, of the Nigerian Special Boat Service, has spent seven months on the frontline fighting Boko Haram.

He described a ruthless enemy using brutal tactics. "They use suicide bombers, improvised explosive devices, mines, basically they use the same tactics as ISIS," he said.

It's an indication of the potential threats that 250 British troops will be facing when they enter Mali later this year.

They may be part of a peacekeeping mission, but the British will be conducting long-range reconnaissance patrols into hostile territory.

Nearly 200 UN peacekeepers have already lost their lives in Mali. France, which has more than 5,000 troops in the country, has also suffered casualties there.

So is Britain about to become mired in another long-drawn conflict?

Brig Gus Fair, commander of the Specialised Infantry Group, insisted it would not become another Afghanistan or Iraq for the British Army.

He said that "we are up front in seeing this as a regional problem for a regional solution", adding that it involved partnering nations rather than taking direct sovereign intervention.

Nevertheless, the British Army's peacekeeping mission in Mali will probably be the most dangerous task it has faced since the end of combat operations in Helmand.

The harsh reality is that, so far, Western support - along with international troops and peacekeepers - has been unable to turn the rising tide of extremism in the region.

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2020-03-02 15:15:55Z
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UK military gears up for deployment in Mali - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Britain is significantly stepping up its military support in West Africa to help combat the world's fastest growing Islamist-led insurgency.

Over the past month, British troops have been helping train local forces to fight extremism in the Sahel.

The region, a semi-arid stretch of land just south of the Sahara Desert, has been a frontline in the war against Islamist militancy for almost a decade.

Later this year, 250 British soldiers will join a UN mission in Mali.

It has been described as the most dangerous peacekeeping operation in the world.

In Senegal, a team of around 30 UK soldiers and Royal Marines have been training special forces from a number of West African nations in a US-led counter-terrorism exercise involving more than 1,600 troops.

Maj John House has been leading the British element of the training in Senegal with the focus on infantry skills and counter-terrorism operations.

He said it was in Britain's interests to get more involved in the region.

"If we don't act we may find the problems getting closer to our door," he said. "The more they have a presence in the region, the more we can feel the effect back in the UK."

Officers from US Special Operations Command Africa, which has been responsible for overseeing the exercise, are just as blunt.

US Maj Chris Giaquinto said the extremists "want to create a safe haven in Africa in order to grow and facilitate attacks, possibly in Europe or the United States".

There are now multiple extremist groups operating across the sub-Saharan region known as the Sahel. They include ones linked to the so-called Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Commander Djibril Diawara, of the Senegalese Armed Forces, described the situation as "alarming".

Over the past year the extremists have spread south from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

The exercise culminated with special forces troops from Cameroon, Morocco and Nigeria conducting a raid on a village to take out an unspecified group of extremists.

Some of those involved have already been doing this for real. Lt Unyine Collins, of the Nigerian Special Boat Service, has spent seven months on the frontline fighting Boko Haram.

He described a ruthless enemy using brutal tactics. "They use suicide bombers, improvised explosive devices, mines, basically they use the same tactics as ISIS," he said.

It's an indication of the potential threats that 250 British troops will be facing when they enter Mali later this year.

They may be part of a peacekeeping mission, but the British will be conducting long-range reconnaissance patrols into hostile territory.

Nearly 200 UN peacekeepers have already lost their lives in Mali. France, which has more than 5,000 troops in the country, has also suffered casualties there.

So is Britain about to become mired in another long-drawn conflict?

Brig Gus Fair, commander of the Specialised Infantry Group, insisted it would not become another Afghanistan or Iraq for the British Army.

He said that "we are up front in seeing this as a regional problem for a regional solution", adding that it involved partnering nations rather than taking direct sovereign intervention.

Nevertheless, the British Army's peacekeeping mission in Mali will probably be the most dangerous task it has faced since the end of combat operations in Helmand.

The harsh reality is that, so far, Western support - along with international troops and peacekeepers - has been unable to turn the rising tide of extremism in the region.

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2020-03-02 14:03:10Z
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Coronavirus: Spread of virus in UK 'likely' says Boris Johnson - BBC News

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The spread of coronavirus in the UK is "likely", the PM has said, but a plan has been agreed to tackle it.

Boris Johnson said people "should go about business as usual" at the moment, adding that the UK was "well prepared" and further details would be announced in the coming days and weeks.

It comes as the number of cases in the UK rose by four to 40 on Monday.

Meanwhile, the EU has raised the coronavirus risk level in member states to "moderate to high".

What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

A panel of experts and BBC reporters will be answering your questions about the coronavirus outbreak in a special programme on BBC One at 19:30 GMT on Monday

The prime minister said: "We have also agreed a plan so that if and when it starts to spread, as I'm afraid it looks likely it will, we are in a position to take the steps necessary to... contain the spread of the disease as far as we can, and to protect the most vulnerable."

He advised that "the single most useful thing" people could do was wash their hands "two times to Happy Birthday with hot water".

Downing Street said a UK-wide action plan to tackle coronavirus, agreed at Monday's emergency Cobra meeting, would be published on Tuesday.

The Budget will go ahead as planned on 11 March, despite the impact of the outbreak on the UK and global economy, a spokesman said.

On Monday, a tenant at Vinters Business Park in Maidstone, which rents out office space, confirmed one of its staff members had tested positive for Covid-19.

The business park said the team was taking the precaution of self-isolating and working from home.

Earlier, Public Health England (PHE) said widespread transmission of coronavirus in the UK was now "highly likely".

Medical Director Prof Paul Cosford said the increase in cases in the UK and abroad meant the UK must be prepared.

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If the outbreak worsens, the government has said measures could include asking newly-retired doctors and nurses to return to the NHS.

People could also be urged to work from home - and closing schools and cancelling major public events have also not been ruled out.

Sunday's cases included 12 in England and the first patient in Scotland, meaning the virus has now reached all four parts of the UK.

A health worker at an NHS cancer centre in Middlesex is among the cases, as is a staff member at Wimbledon College in south-west London, which has closed for deep cleaning.

Three cases in England have been linked to a man from Surrey, who was the first patient not to have been abroad recently and was instead infected within the UK.

A man who had been working in Bristol has also tested positive for the virus in Shenzhen, China, after flying from London to Hong Kong on Thursday, according to the Health Commission of Guangdong Province.

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Meanwhile, more British holidaymakers stuck in a quarantined hotel in Tenerife are preparing to return home after testing negative for the virus.

Around 25 Britons have already left the hotel, but 150 others are now in their seventh day at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace after a group of Italians contracted the virus.

Travel operator Jet2holidays said its customers would be travelling back to the UK on a dedicated flight on Monday afternoon.

Once home, they must isolate themselves until the original quarantine period ends on 10 March.

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As of 09:00 GMT on Monday, the Department of Health said a total of 13,525 people had been tested in the UK, of which 13,485 were negative.

Globally, around 86,000 people have been infected, with cases in more than 50 countries. More than 3,000 people have died - the vast majority in China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated in December.

Have you been affected by the coronavirus? Or do you have any information to share? Get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-03-02 12:47:39Z
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