Thousands face mass coronavirus testing at GP surgeries and hospitals across the UK

THOUSANDS of Brits face mass coronavirus testing at GP surgeries as officials prepare for a worst-case scenario that could see 500,000 die.

Ministers are now considering the assumption that more than 50million people in the UK could catch the killer bug.

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A memo seen by The Sun last night states that the “reasonable worst case” involves “up to 80 per cent of the population being infected”.

Public Health England now plans to test thousands of patients with flu-like symptoms via 11 hospitals and 100 GP practices to see if the virus has spread into the population.

It was today reported that anyone suffering from a severe chest infection at eight NHS hospitals will now be automatically tested for coronavirus - even if they haven't been at an at-risk country.

It comes as Italy has become the first European country gripped by an outbreak with 11 fatal cases and another 322 diagnosed with the virus.

The UK government have advised anyone who has gone north of Pisa to self-isolate themselves.

And according to the memo seen by the Sun, around half a million Brits — mostly the elderly or those with pre-existing illnesses — would die under the worst-case scenario, according to health sources.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain this morning, Prof Paul Cosford, Director for Health Protection, said: "The country, the NHS and the government is preparing for a range of scenarios and worst case has to be one.

"We're an awfully long way from that and it's difficult to know what will happen but we need to prepare as best we are able."

The global death toll for virus, otherwise known as COVID-19, has now reached more than 2,760 while the number of cases worldwide sits at more than 81,000.

Meanwhile, director-general of France's public health agency Jerome Salomon today confirmed a 60-year-old man has become the first French citizen to die from COVID-19.

This morning alone, South Korea reported 115 more cases of the coronavirus, raising its total to 1,261.

VIRUS FEARS

Meanwhile, the worst-case scenario figures seen by the Sun are in a “sensitive” government report called “Covid-19 Reasonable Worst Case Scenario”.

It predicts infection rates will snowball for two to three months once the bug starts spreading.

A government spokesman said every eventuality had to be planned for but warned “this does not mean we expect it to happen”.

Experts estimate a major outbreak may see more than two million people in hospital — crippling the NHS.

One hospital’s isolation pod was yesterday revealed as a small tent behind some bins with one chair and a phone to call 111.

Lincoln County Hospital’s facilities were described as “something that Bear Grylls would keep in his backpack”.

The hospital said the tent was not meant for treatment and will be upgraded.

England’s top doctor warned a global pandemic may lead to school closures, families quarantined and public transport shut down.

Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said yesterday: “There’s no secret there’s a variety of things you need to look at, like school closures.”

Currently, only high-risk individuals are asked to stay at home to limit the spread of Covid-19.

But Prof Whitty said whole families could be told to self-isolate during a major outbreak.

He added: “We might want to look at things like should people stay at home with their families in that situation.

“It’s one of the things we would want to think about.”