A Sars-like virus which has claimed one life in Britain could be passed between people, doctors fear.The deadly novel coronavirus (nCov) could be transmitted from people in close contact with each other, the World Health Organisation has warned.
It based its theory on ‘different clusters seen in multiple countries’, said US physician Keiji ****.
But there was no evidence the virus would be able to sustain ‘generalised transmission in communities’.
Today’s announcement came after the second confirmed case in France where the victim shared a hospital room with the nation’s only other sufferer.
Prof Benoit Guery, of Lille’s infectious diseases unit, said it suggested airborne transmission was possible.
Public Health England advises that those infected should be kept in strict respiratory isolation because of the seriousness of the illness.
The virus has killed 18 people and infected 34 people in the Middle East and Europe since last summer.
Abid Hussain died in Birmingham in February after a Middle East trip.
Metro
