BREAKING: First British person dies from coronavirus

February 28, 2020
| Report Focus News

A British man has become the first UK citizen to die from coronavirus after being infected on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.

His death was confirmed by the Japanese health ministry and the UK’s Foreign Office but he has not been named.

The man was one of at least four Britons who had to remain in Japan after dozens more, who had tested negative for COVID-19, were evacuated to the UK last week following a fortnight on the coronavirus-stricken ship in Yokohama.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee on Monday in response to a growing number of cases in Europe.

Earlier on Friday, three more cases of the virus were confirmed in the UK, including the first one in Wales.

Two new patients in England contracted the virus while in Iran, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

Public Health Wales said it was working to identify close contacts of the Welsh patient, who is believed to be from the Swansea area and was infected in northern Italy before returning to the UK.

Northern Ireland also confirmed its first case on Thursday. Authorities said they have contacted passengers who sat near the woman on a flight from northern Italy to Dublin.