People who have coronavirus in the Isle of Man could be detained under new powers agreed by Tynwald.

Worldwide there have been 90,000 cases and 3,000 deaths.

In the Isle of Man, 16 people have so far been tested but they were all clear.

Whole cities have been closed in China, while there are significant restrictions in Italy.

Authorities in the Isle of Man are now preparing for an outbreak here.

Under new regulations, a number of measures will be introduced if the government’s Cabinet Office declares that coronavirus (Covid-19) constitutes a serious or imminent threat to public health.

The measures include detaining anyone with suspected coronavirus for up to 48 hours for testing.

People with coronavius would be forced to stay in isolation for 14 days to stop the virus spreading. There is provision to increase that time if the health authorities think it’s necessary.

The measures say that an infected person might be moved to a ’specified place’, although where that would be is not determined.

It is likely to be the respiratory isolation facility at Noble’s Hospital.

The regulations give police powers to force someone with coronavirus to a ’specified place’ or to keep him or her in detention or isolation.

Anyone who absconds could be taken into custody.

A Department of Health and Social Care statement reads: ’The increased powers are designed to help reduce the risk of the virus being spread from one person to another on the island, by keeping people in isolation where public health professionals believe there is a reasonable risk they may have the virus.’

If anyone with the virus becomes dangerously ill, there is provision to take the patient to the UK, with measures in place to protect aircraft personnel.

Health professionals in the Isle of Man might ask people to ’self-isolate’.

This generally means that as a precaution and to help stop the spread of any potential infection you stay clear of others for a period of time.

People who have been medically assessed as meeting the criteria definitions as possible cases of Covid-19 in the island are tested for the virus.

Testing for Covid-19 is carried out by a UK specialist laboratory.

The increase in demand on the UK laboratories has increased the time it takes to receive confirmed results from the standard 48 hours.

So far, all those tested have been cleared. They could have been suffering from flu or another ailment.

The delay in results is not an indication of a potential positive result.

monitoring

Public health authorities in the UK have introduced advanced monitoring at airports with direct flights from China.

The island’s public health department is advising people to follow the advice of Public Health England.

It says people should stay indoors and avoid contact with other people immediately if you’ve travelled home from:

lHubei province in China in the last 14 days, even if they do not have symptoms

lIran, lockdown areas in northern Italy or special care zones in South Korea since February 19, even if they do not have symptoms

lOther parts of mainland China or South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan or Thailand in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath (even if their symptoms are mild)

lOther parts of northern Italy (anywhere north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar or Vietnam since February 19 and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath (even if your symptoms are mild).

Such people should not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital, the official advice states.

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