Novel Coronavirus update

There has been an additonal confirmed case of the novel coronavirus found in Saudi Arabia.  There have now been a total of 14 confirmed cases and 8 deaths.

The first case identified in the United Kingdom in a resident who had recently travelled to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia; two other family members have now been confirmed to have acquired the infection; they have no previous travel history to Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.  There is the possibility that these cases were due to human- human contact, however this has not been confirmed.

The risk of infection is considered to be low.

Symptoms that all cases have experienced are flu-like and include coughing, mucous, shortness of breath, malaise, chest pain and fever.

It is important to consult with a health care provider a minimum of 4-6 weeks prior to travel.

Protect yourself by trying to avoid close contact with people who are ill,  wash hands frequently, use alcohol based hand sanitizer, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with hands, and stay home or delay travel if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms.