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Coronavirus warning: World Health Organisation says 'time is running out to contain the outbreak'

AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

World health chiefs fear that time is running out to "contain the outbreak" of the deadly Covid-19 coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation warned that the timeframe to stop the situation becoming an international epidemic in a latest update on Friday evening.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the organisation's director-general, questioned whether the outbreak is at a "tipping point" after new cases and deaths in Iran.

"Although the window of opportunity is narrowing to contain the outbreak, we still have a chance to contain it," Dr Ghebreyesus said.

"If we don't, if we squander the opportunity, then there will be a serious problem on our hands."

He said it was "very concerning" that Iran had reported 18 cases and four deaths in just the past two days.

The vast majority of deaths from the outbreak have been in China, where the virus originated, though a number of fatalities have been confirmed elsewhere.

China has reported more than 75,500 cases and 2,230 deaths while twenty six other countries have reported 1,151 cases and eight deaths.

Britain has seen more than 5,000 people tested but just nine confirmed cases.

The latest numbers come as a repatriation flight expected to contain 35 passengers, who spent more than two weeks trapped on a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship in Japan, is set to depart for the UK within hours.

The passengers are due to land at Boscombe Down Ministry of Defence base, near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

Only those without symptoms will be able to board the plane and all the passengers will be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral for 14 days of quarantine.

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