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Senior medical and assistance experts have urged travellers to keep the risks of the new coronavirus in perspective.
Dr Mark Parrish, regional medical director for International SOS, told The Independent: “A 2 per cent death rate for this virus is lower than 35 per cent for coronavirus when it mutated into Middle East respiratory virus, which is still happening, and 10 per cent for Sars.
“What we’re advising businesses is: be aware, make sure that your personnel and your travellers are up to speed with the latest information about the virus, and where it’s spread to, and what you should do to avoid it.
“The key thing is to make sure you have some fact-based evidence on the outbreak.”
International SOS has opened up the section on its website dealing with the virus to all travellers.
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1/28
Buses carrying British nationals travelling along the M6 motorway on their way to Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside
PA
2/28
A pedestrian wearing a surgical face mask walks outside the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where it is thought that two members of the same family who tested positive for novel coronavirus are being treated
AFP via Getty Images
3/28
Coaches transport the Britons and foreign nationals to Arrowe Park Hospital
Getty Images
4/28
A convoy of coaches carrying British nationals evacuated from Wuhan in China amid the coronavirus outbreak and medical personnel in a protective suit drive away from RAF Brize Norton
AFP via Getty
5/28
British Nationals arrive at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, after having flown in from Wuhan - the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus
Tom Maddick / SWNS
6/28
A police outrider heads a convoy of coaches carrying British nationals from the RAF station
AFP via Getty
7/28
Passengers leave the plane
PA
8/28
Barriers are put up at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China
PA
9/28
Some of the eighty-three Britons and 27 foreign nationals who were trapped in Wuhan following a Coronavirus outbreak disembark a plane
Getty Images
10/28
Getty Images
11/28
Ambulance at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
Tom Maddick / SWNS
12/28
The plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arriving
PA
13/28
Buses and ambulances standing by for the passengers
PA
14/28
Gaming consoles and toys being brought into the Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the RAF base
PA
15/28
The flight track of the aircraft
Flightradar24/PA
16/28
On arrival, the UK passengers will be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral and quarantined for two weeks
Reuters
17/28
A student wearing a face mask walks close to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where two patients who have tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus are being treated by specialist medical workers
Getty Images
18/28
A woman wearing a face mask passes a Public Health England sign at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
19/28
Ambulance crews arrive at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
20/28
The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne, where two patients who have tested positive for coronavirus in England
PA
21/28
A woman wears a face mask in Parliament Square in London as the first cases of the virus to be diagnosed in the UK were announced
PA
22/28
Passengers wear face masks after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty Images
23/28
A St John's Ambulance vehicle exits the Royal Air Force station
AFP via Getty
24/28
A pedestrian wears a face mask as he walks near the Houses of Parliament
AFP via Getty Images
25/28
Coaches arrives at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
26/28
Passengers wear face masks as they stand with their luggage at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
27/28
A man wears a face mask as he walks along the Thames embankment
AFP via Getty Images
28/28
Passengers wear face masks at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
1/28
Buses carrying British nationals travelling along the M6 motorway on their way to Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside
PA
2/28
A pedestrian wearing a surgical face mask walks outside the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where it is thought that two members of the same family who tested positive for novel coronavirus are being treated
AFP via Getty Images
3/28
Coaches transport the Britons and foreign nationals to Arrowe Park Hospital
Getty Images
4/28
A convoy of coaches carrying British nationals evacuated from Wuhan in China amid the coronavirus outbreak and medical personnel in a protective suit drive away from RAF Brize Norton
AFP via Getty
5/28
British Nationals arrive at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, after having flown in from Wuhan - the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus
Tom Maddick / SWNS
6/28
A police outrider heads a convoy of coaches carrying British nationals from the RAF station
AFP via Getty
7/28
Passengers leave the plane
PA
8/28
Barriers are put up at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China
PA
9/28
Some of the eighty-three Britons and 27 foreign nationals who were trapped in Wuhan following a Coronavirus outbreak disembark a plane
Getty Images
10/28
Getty Images
11/28
Ambulance at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
Tom Maddick / SWNS
12/28
The plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arriving
PA
13/28
Buses and ambulances standing by for the passengers
PA
14/28
Gaming consoles and toys being brought into the Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, as they prepare for buses carrying British nationals from the RAF base
PA
15/28
The flight track of the aircraft
Flightradar24/PA
16/28
On arrival, the UK passengers will be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral and quarantined for two weeks
Reuters
17/28
A student wearing a face mask walks close to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where two patients who have tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus are being treated by specialist medical workers
Getty Images
18/28
A woman wearing a face mask passes a Public Health England sign at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
19/28
Ambulance crews arrive at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
20/28
The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne, where two patients who have tested positive for coronavirus in England
PA
21/28
A woman wears a face mask in Parliament Square in London as the first cases of the virus to be diagnosed in the UK were announced
PA
22/28
Passengers wear face masks after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty Images
23/28
A St John's Ambulance vehicle exits the Royal Air Force station
AFP via Getty
24/28
A pedestrian wears a face mask as he walks near the Houses of Parliament
AFP via Getty Images
25/28
Coaches arrives at RAF Brize Norton
Tom Maddick / SWNS
26/28
Passengers wear face masks as they stand with their luggage at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
27/28
A man wears a face mask as he walks along the Thames embankment
AFP via Getty Images
28/28
Passengers wear face masks at Heathrow Airport
AFP via Getty
It advises: “Avoid direct contact with animals (live or dead) and their environment. Do not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with droppings.
“Keep some distance from people who are obviously sick.
“Maintain good personal hygiene. Wash your hands frequently. Carry hand sanitiser for use when soap and water are not readily available. Avoid touching your face.”
Dr Parrish said travellers should be aware of other threats that claim many more lives.
“Malaria kills 400,000 people every year,” he said. “We see regular deaths from malaria, which is a completely preventable disease.
“We have to weigh all these things up. The new coronavirus is new – we don’t know enough about it yet, we’ll keep a very careful eye on it until we’ve got a better idea.”
Danny Kaine, head of assistance at Traveller Assist, said 61,200 people died from the common flu virus in 2019 – an average of 168 deaths per day, far higher than the toll from the Wuhan Coronavirus so far.
“Even though the risk is low right now, it does not mean that the virus will not mutate,” he said.
“Everyone should be armed with the facts. You shouldn't discount or disregard the virus completely just because you don’t live in or travel to China.
“But don't get overly stressed or anxious about it either.”