New deadly acute respiratory illness hits UK

Oh happy day. A new deadly illness has been discovered in the UK.

An acute respiratory illness associated with a new virus has materialised, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) today.

A new human coronavirus was identified in a patient – who died – in Saudi Arabia recently.

Now another patient newly arrived in the UK is being treated in a London hospital.

Laboratory tests confirm it the same acute respiratory illness, making two cases world wide.

Coronaviruses cause the common cold, but also severe viruses such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory).

This new virus is different to any other viruses seen in humans before.

Head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA, Professor John Watson warned a need for ‘increased vigilance’ for the virus.

He said: “The HPA is providing advice to healthcare workers to ensure the patient under  investigation is being treated appropriately.

“In the light of the severity of the illness that has been identified in the two confirmed  cases, immediate steps have been taken to ensure that people who have been in contact with the UK case have not been infected, and there is no evidence to suggest they have.”

If you would like more information to panic over, visit: http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1317136202755