VIRUS SCARE HITS PRINCE GEORGE’S SCHOOL
● Royal school is among 42 affected by Covid-19 ● Health Secretary says we’re ready for outbreak
PRINCE George’s school is among 42 in Britain hit by a coronavirus scare.
Four pupils at Thomas’s Battersea, which Princess Charlotte also attends,
were tested for the flu-like illness after returning from half-term holidays in northern Italy and Tenerife, areas hit by high-profile outbreaks.
The Daily Express understands the children displayed symptoms associated with the virus, which is officially named Covid-19.
None has tested positive and the symptoms, coughing or fever, could be signs of numerous other illnesses.
But the south-west London school has kept the children at home as a precaution in line with Government policy across the country.
Parents have been emailed to keep them updated, with the results of the tests expected in the next few days.
A spokeswoman for Thomas’s Battersea said: “Like all schools we are taking the potential risks connected with the spread of Covid-19 very seriously.
“We are following Government guidance around prevention against infection and in dealing with cases where any staff or pupils are suspected of being exposed to it.”
The school remains open and all other pupils are attending as normal.
It is understood that George, six, and Charlotte, four – the third and fourth in line to the throne – have not come into contact with the affected children. Elsewhere schools across the UK were in lockdown and hundreds of pupils sent home amid growing fears of the size of the crisis.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock insisted the Government was ready for any situation and called for classrooms to remain open.
But heads still took urgent action, with at least 15 schools closing and 27 others sending pupils home or ordering them to stay quarantined for 14 days.
Archbishop Temple School in Preston, Lancs, was among those which closed down yesterday until next week. Others including Trinity Catholic College in Middlesbrough and Tudor Grange Academy in Kingshurst, Birmingham, have shut until at least Monday.
However one school in Swansea ignored pleas from parents to shut down after a class returned from a ski trip to Italy.
The classes chaos came on a day of escalating fears and confusion, with businesses shutting their doors, travel plans disrupted and major sporting events postponed – including Ireland’s Six Nations rugby clash against Italy in Dublin on March 7. The FA was also holding urgent talks over the future of England’s football friendly against Italy at Wembley next month.
It comes as millions of people were urged to “keep their distance” to prevent the spread of the virus.
Dr David Nabarro, of the World Health Organisation, told BBC Radio 4: “The most important thing we are realising is it’s really infectious but it’s infectious if you are close up.”
American oil giant Chevron yesterday sent home 300 workers from its office in London’s Canary Wharf office after an employee, who had recently returned from a country hit by coronavirus, reported symptoms. It comes as the global death toll from the virus rose to 2,771 with the total number of cases worldwide standing at 81,398 last night.
The coronavirus has hit 45 countries and is now spreading faster outside China, where it originated.
There have been 13 confirmed cases in Britain, eight of whom have made a recovery.
BBC Radio 4 presenter Nick Robinson revealed he is in selfisolation at home after returning from a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.
He told how he drove himself to hospital and was met by a nurse in full protective gear who tested him through his car window.
He said: “My doctor said as a precaution, and frankly to be considerate, I should report myself.”
Meanwhile the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall and her rugby player husband Mike will not be selfisolating following a skiing trip to northern Italy.
A spokeswoman for the couple said they were following official Government and health advice but are not currently displaying any symptoms.
A full list of affected schools around the country can be found on our website at www.express.co.uk.