Everything we know so far about coronavirus in Suffolk

How many cases of coronavirus are there in the area?

As of 9am on Monday, there was one confirmed case of coronavirus in Suffolk and five in Essex.

What do you know about the case in Suffolk?

A British Airways plane comes in to land at Heathrow Airport in London as the airline announced that it has cancelled all flights to and from Italy Picture: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

The Suffolk patient is believed to have recently returned to the region from a trip to Italy. We have no further information on where they are being treated.

Where is the person being treated and what else do you know?

All the information we know about the current cases comes from the Government.

Every day at 2pm they update a regional list of where the new cases are. This list is accurate to 9am on that day.

Later on they release a more detailed list which splits the patients up by their respective counties.

Further information is sometimes provided by the local authority, such as relevant travel information linked to the case.

We are given no more information about where the patients are or who they are.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Some of the symptoms of the virus include a cough, a high temperature and a shortness of breath but these can often be symptoms of other conditions like flu and colds.

Symptoms are likely to be more severe in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

How does the virus spread?

It's thought that coronavirus spreads through cough droplets but the NHS says it's not entirely clear as its a new condition.

What precautions can you take?

Suffolk County Council's Director of Public Health, Stuart Keeble said: 'The most important thing you can do to significantly reduce the spread of the virus is to take basic hygiene precautions including washing your hands frequently with warm soapy water for 20 seconds, don't touch your face unless you've just washed your hands.

'If you do not have access to soap and water, use hand sanitizer. Sneeze or cough into a tissue, bin it and wash your hands. We should do this all day every day as we should for flu.

'If you are concerned that you may have coronavirus, call NHS 111 in the first instance and do not go to your GP or to the hospital. They will be able to guide you.'

What is being done to test for the virus?

New testing facilities are being set up in Suffolk and Essex to help screen potential cases.

There are three drive-through facilities being set up; at Newmarket and Clacton Hospitals as well as Hartismere Hospital in Eye.

Patients with prearranged appointments can drive up and be swabbed by nurses at the hospitals.

Are events being cancelled because of coronavirus?

Most event organisers are keeping a close eye on Government advice at the moment and are hoping to go ahead as planned.

The Women's Tour, Suffolk Show, Aldeburgh Festival and Latitude have all said they will be continuing with their plans as normal for now.

I was meant to go on holiday to Italy, what do I do now?

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is advising against all but essential travel to Italy, after authorities placed the country under lockdown.

Many flights between the UK and Italy have been cancelled but others are continuing to operate.

Different airline operators are running different policies at the moment.

EasyJet has grounded most of its flights to and from northern Italy but is continuing to serve locations such as Milan, Venice and Bologna.

It is advising customers who do not want to fly that they would only be due a refund of 'any government tax you may have paid'.

Ryanair is telling customers whose flights are running that 'the no cancellation and no refund policy remains'.

British Airways is allowing passengers booked to travel on flights to and from northern Italy up to April 4 to change travel dates or obtain a refund.

Uncertainty remains over travel for this summer.

Travel trade organisation Abta said 'it is too early' to say that summer holidays cannot go ahead as planned.

'If you cancel early you may have to pay cancellation charges,' it added.