A MASSIVE 110,000 Brits could have returned from Italy in the past fortnight and not know they are carrying the coronavirus.
The Centre for Economics and Business worked out the number from tourism figures, sparking fears for the number of infected already in Britain.
Boris Johnson will today chair an emergency meeting of Cobra as the Government tries to get a grip on the global crisis.
With two weeks the estimated incubation period, the CEBR warned the “symptoms may be hidden” and yet to emerge.
The forecast included 15,000 flying back into the capital, with the economic consultancy suggesting this could lead to a disaster for the economy.
They warned if even a small percentage of those returning had symptoms, employers could be forced to order staff to stay home.
If ministers decided to shut down the whole city, it could have a disastrous impact.
In a report, they said: “Should businesses in London send all non-essential workers home, i.e. doctors and health staff remain posted but all other businesses close, the economic impact would be substantial.
“Our estimate of the economic impact of such a lockdown suggests that London’s output would fall by £495 million per day for as long as it was imposed.
“Should it last a week, the economy could effectively lose £2.4 billion in output. If lockdown was imposed for a month, this rises to £10.3 billion.”
It came as:
- 36 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed in Britain – including at least one who caught the disease in Britain
- Thirty-five schools are now on lockdown amid pandemic fears
- Rugby has already been hit by the postponement of next week’s Six Nations clash between Ireland and virus-plagued Italy
- Boris Johnson will set up a war room to combat the virus, and will chair COBRA today
- Millions could be told to work from home to stop it spreading further in emergency plans under consideration
It comes as the new chancellor Rishi Sunak was warned his budget plans may be blown apart due to the coronavirus causing massive economic disruption.
The government’s economic watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, is expected to revise its economic forecasts after stock markets plummeted all over the world.
Economists say the global spread of the virus could even trigger a recession.
Last week US oil company Chevron sent 300 staff home after an employee returned from an Italian skiing trip feeling unwell.
Yesterday Matt Hancock refused to rule out Coronavirus shutting down entire cities like they have done in China.
The Health Secretary also admitted a vaccine to treat the deadly bug was months away and the Government would publish doomsday plans this week.
The public are being pushed to make sure they clean their hands as thoroughly as possible to stop the spread of the killer coronavirus bug.
The Health Secretary yesterday warned people should scrub their mitts for at least 20 seconds to destroy as many germs as possible.
He told Radio 5 Live: “You should do that for 20 seconds or more, and the way we explain it to children is that you should sing… wash your hands as long as you’re singing either Happy Birthday or God Save The Queen.”
Experts have warned that desperate moves to contain the Covid-19 outbreak could decimate all sport across the UK for months.
Clubs have begun taking their own precautions to protect star players from infection.
Tottenham’s injured South Korean ace Son Heung-min, 27, has been forced to self-isolate for two weeks after returning from his home country, where hundreds of cases have erupted.
Rugby has already been hit by the postponement of next week’s Six Nations clash between Ireland and virus-plagued Italy.
England’s football friendly against Italy at Wembley on Friday March 27 is still officially on — though it is subject to review.
The Chinese Formula One Grand Prix scheduled for April 19 has been postponed, while other races are in doubt.
