Coronavirus isolation pods set up at Ipswich Hospital

Coronavirus pods have been put up at Ipswich Hospital. Picture: ARCHANT (Image: ARCHANT)

Posters around the hospital - which is run by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust - are advising patients to follow purple signs on the outside of the building to reach the quarantine pods.

These isolation areas - called NHS 111 pods - are part of a nationwide roll-out designed to limit the spread of the virus.

There have been nine confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in the UK, which has now been named COVID-19.

Speaking of the isolation pods, an NHS spokesman said: "Anyone returning from Hubei province in the last 14 days should stay indoors, avoid contact with other people and call NHS 111 whether or not they are showing symptoms.

"Anyone with a cough, fever, or shortness of breath who attends hospital and has recently returned from China, will be advised to follow signs to NHS 111 pods and call for advice, so they stay isolated from other patients and avoid causing unnecessary pressure in A&E."

The NHS is also trialling swabbing in the community with plans to roll it out nationally to make this process quicker and easier.

According to Public Health England typical symptoms of Coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

Coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

Enhanced surveillance measures have also been put in place at the Port of Felixstowe, following concerns about the Coronavirus.

More: Coronavirus: Hospitals 'following all government advice'For more information and advice about the Coronavirus see Public Health England's website.