China's president Xi Jinping warned it was spreading.

And indeed scientists at Imperial College London suggests as many as 4000 people were infected by January the 18th and that each person was infecting as many as three others, showing how hard this will be to contain.

With pressure growing on the Chinese government, much of the country has now declared a level one public health alert.

All transport in and out of Wu Han has been stopped.

From tomorrow, a ll vehicle use, including private cars, will be banned from downtown in the city of 11 million.

6000 taxis will be deployed to help people get around.

It is in quarantine, Wu Han and WHO Bay Province remains the epi center with the largest number of cases.

But there are now reports from across China, and it has spread to Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia and further still to the United States, Australia and France, where three patients have now tested positive in Hong Kong.

where they have had five cases.

Today, the government announced it was raising its emergency response to the highest level, with schools to remain closed for two more weeks after the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Homes a victim.

Gayatri We need to step up our immigration control.

We have to control the spread of the disease.

First of all, we're going to stop flights and high speed trains from Wuhan.

We will wait until we're fully in control of the outbreak before we resume flights as well as the high speed train service.

31 people in the UK have been tested, but all are negative.

Public health teams have been placed at Heathrow Airport in London for any passengers feeling unwell on Channel four.

News understands that medical teams will also be placed in other major airports around the country over the next few days.

China remains the focus of this outbreak in Rue hand their medical facilities of being overwhelmed there, now building two new hospitals to cope, and the Chinese military has sent in 450 medical staff Way will make every effort to mobilize all sectors of the community both at home and abroad.

to make special donations of urgently demanded medical related materials on relevant drugs that meet the requirements.

Unlike influenza, there is no vaccine for this new virus, which has never been seen in humans before.

Experts are concerned about how it might mutate.

The symptoms include a dry cough and a fever, but people can remain asymptomatic, unaware that they can spread the disease.

Tonight, China announced it was suspending tour groups from leaving the country, and the French and Americans are planning to evacuate their citizens from Wu Han with other embassies and discussions with the local authorities.

The increase in the official numbers itself is not currently assigned that the crisis is worsening.

It could reflect better monitoring and detection that nobody is taking any chances.

Victoria McDonald reporting Well Earlier I spoke to Ben Cavanaugh, who is from Ireland, and working as a teacher in Wuhan.

I started by asking him what the situation was like in the city.

Well, where I am is usually quite a busy streets.

But if you were to look outside now, you would have no idea it's Chinese New Year, so, like it goes down there, I mean, how does that feel it's hard to describe because there's nothing nothing's ever prepared me for anything like this.

It's It's it.

If I'm in a dystopian movie, it's hard like there's 10 million people in the city and there's no one on the streets on from midnight tonight.

They're banning all transport.

So no personal vehicles, unless absolutely essential.

So that would be even.

There will be nothing out there tomorrow.

Now you seem quite calm.

Given what you're describing.

Is there any sense of panic?

Uh, as the days go by, the panic seems to be increasing.

I I tried to know, not worry until it's time to worry.

There's no point worrying now.

I'm not sick now.

I worry if I get sick.

But yesterday, in an American group shot, the people were freaking out a little bit.

Today, just a few minutes ago, people in the British group that they were freaking out because the UK government don't appear to be doing anything while the French and American governments look like they're taking action for their citizens.

Yes, no, I know your stories appeared in the Irish press.

Have you heard it?

All from Irish diplomatic service is are they giving you any advice or they're getting in touch to see how you are.

I haven't heard anything from anyone, but I also haven't tried to reach out because it's also Chinese New Year.

So, you know, consulates and embassies.

They're not open today, but for Ireland.

I haven't I haven't heard from anyone, but I haven't tried to reach anyone.

I don't think it makes sense to leave.

We're here, Andi.

If we left, we would feel better.

But then we're only risking spreading the disease.

You're there on your own, as I understand it.

What, if any, precautions can you take or you being told to take to prevent catching this virus?

The best thing to do is stay at home, but unfortunately, that's, you know, that's just not possible the whole time.

So when you do go outside, I actually wear swimming goggles.

Would you believe it?

Because that's how the doctors and nurses have been infected because they're being infected through their eyes.

They took precautions for their mouths with masks, but the doctors, the nurses were infected in the hospital's through their eyes.

So now when I go out, I wear two masks on a pair of swimming goggles.

It looks silly, but it's the safest way to do it.

And how often are you venturing out?

Presumably you need supplies.

I will be going out first thing in the morning for what I can only describe as a massive shop because I don't want tohave to go out again for a very long time.

I plan on bringing my suitcase to the shop so that I can get enough stuff, and that's it.

After that, I don't plan on leaving for weeks.

So you are literally anticipating having to stay in your flat alone with this stockpile of food.

I didn't from an item at the moment.

Yeah, that's it.

I got a message from my work and work on all transport in Ju Han is indefinitely shut down.

We don't know when we have no idea when the end is going, because I assume even if you wanted to leave to try to make your way back home or somewhere else, you couldn't at the moment.

No, that's impossible.

That's why people are so upset in the Americans and the British are very upset moment because there is no way out.

We're in a quarantine city.

And that's just the way it has to be.

Otherwise, we risk spreading this disease further.

If you like.

It's already global.

Well, we wish you to stay safe.

Insane.

Thank you very much for talking to us today.

Thanks for having me.

Thank you.