AKIPRESS.COM - Britain must now prepare itself for more cases of the coronavirus, health officials have warned, as they confirmed a first patient diagnosed in London on a day when the spread of the disease continued to cause disruption across the world.

The new patient, who brings the total number in the UK to nine, is a Chinese woman in her late 20s or early 30s who lives in the British capital with relatives. She flew in to Heathrow from China at the weekend and called NHS 111 when she developed symptoms after landing.

She was tested at a London hospital on Sunday afternoon, returned to her London home and kept herself in isolation there. It is not known if the family members she lives with have been tested.