EXCLUSIVE: NI woman tells of Beijing 'ghost town' as Coronavirus makes its mark

A Belfast woman living in Beijing has described how the city is like a "ghost town" after the outbreak of Coronavirus.

Lisa Losty said most Ex-pats had flown home, but she had decided to stay.

"Bejing is pretty much deserted – a lot of businesses, restaurants and shops are closed," she told Downtown and Cool FM.

"You are required to submit for temperature check when you enter your apartment building, any shopping centres or public places and everyone is wearing some sort of mask."

And she added: "The Chinese Government seem to be taking as many precautions as possible to stop the spread of virus.

"The number of cases here is relatively low – we are not particularly concerned about catching the infection."

Meanwhile, doctors have warned the London Underground could be a hotbed for the spread of the strain of coronavirus known as Covid-19.

The warning comes after a London woman became the ninth person in the UK to test positive for the deadly virus.

There are concerns the city's status as a transport hub could exacerbate the spread of the virus, however doctors have said the risk of infection for residents in the capital remains low.

In general, if an initial case is in a densely populated area, then the risk of sustained person-to-person transmission following is higher,'' Dr Robin Thompson of Oxford University said.

This is exacerbated by the fact that London is a transport hub, and the underground could provide a network to spread the virus quickly.

As a result, given this case was in London, it might be expected that there is an increased risk posed by this case compared to the others we have seen.''

Dr Michael Head from the University of Southampton added: It should also be noted that of the 1,750 tests carried out so far in the UK, over 99% of those tested have been negative for the coronavirus.

Thus, risks to Londoners and UK residents remain low, though people should continue to keep an eye on guidance for the general public.''

While the patient has now been quarantined, Dr Thompson says the risk of the virus spreading depends on the woman's interactions prior to being placed in isolation.

The key factor here is the number of contacts that this infected individual has had prior to being isolated,'' he said.

If this is low, then the risk of sustained human-to-human transmission is also low.''

As Public Health England investigates the patient's movements, Dr Nathalie MacDermott from the National Institute for Health Research said London commuters should continue to go about their business as usual.

Provided the individual followed the government's advice (to self-isolate) there should be little concern of transmission to the general public in London,'' she said.

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