PASSENGERS on board on evacuation flight from the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak will be quarantined in the north west.

The flight was due to leave Wuhan city at 7am local time on Friday, which was 11pm on Thursday UK time.

The flight, which will have military medics on board, will land at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Passengers will then be taken to an NHS facility - thought to be former NHS staff accommodation.

There, they will have access to medical staff, and it is understood they will have the internet and be able to make contact with family.

Mark Wilson, a Cumbria County Councillor, said the situation in China may lead to a ‘blip’ in tourist numbers in the Lake District.

He said: “The announcement that passengers will be quarantined somewhere in the north west may provoke some fear in Cumbrians.

“The situation in China may lead to blip in tourist numbers in Cumbria.

“However, once Public Health show they are on top of it then this area will be irresistible to all who wish to visit.

“I think that if the government acts sensibly and quickly then public will be assured.

“If a quarantine area is needed then so be it.”

Sharon Webster, Mayor for Ulverston, agreed the announcement could make tourists ‘think twice’ about visiting the region.

She said: “It’s a very delicate situation. The government has obviously kept it as vague as possible by just saying ‘North West’.

“It could impact on tourist rates but I hope it doesn’t as we always want to keep those numbers up.

“It’s understandable why people may not want to visit the area after the announcement.”

A Cumbria County Council spokesman said: “There are currently no confirmed cases of Wuhan novel coronavirus in the UK.

“Health partners have been carefully monitoring the situation in Wuhan for some time and have put in place proportionate, precautionary measures.

“The risk to the UK population has been assessed as low.

“Based on the emerging evidence regarding case numbers, potential sources and human to human transmission, the risk to travellers to Wuhan is moderate.”

Coronavirus has killed an estimated 170 people and has spread to 15 countries.