Business as usual in Northumberland
27 Feb 2020 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
Northumberland County Council is reassuring residents it’s business as usual as it closely monitors developments with the coronavirus.
Regular meetings are being held to keep abreast of the rapidly evolving situation, with the council working on detailed plans to ensure business continuity.
All the information available at the moment suggests that in the vast majority of cases, this is a mild illness. Like flu though, it can more seriously affect older people or those with pre-existing health conditions and the NHS is fully prepared to deal with this.
The best source of up to date information and advice is available from Public Health England
Liz Morgan, the Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “Maintaining the safety of residents in our county is our top priority and people in Northumberland can be reassured that we are working with our partners to closely monitor developments nationally and internationally.
“We are in regular contact with Public Health England to ensure that the very latest guidance is communicated and implemented, as the situation continues to develop.
“There is no cause for alarm. Our advice is to go about normal daily activities and take usual precautionary measures to prevent the spread of infection.”
The recommended steps everyone should take to protect themselves are the same as those to avoid flu and most other respiratory infections - maintain good hand, respiratory and personal hygiene:
wash your hands often with warm water and soap
The Government has confirmed that the risk to individuals remains low. As of 26 February, a total of 7,132 people have been tested in the UK, of which 7,119 were confirmed negative and 13 positive.