Northampton drama teacher quarantined in China following coronavirus outbreak

A drama teacher from Northampton is in quarantine in China as a precaution against coronavirus.

Jacob Wootton works at a school in Shanghai but has been confined to a hotel room after returning from a short break in the Philippines and Singapore.

But the former Thomas Becket School student insists he "doing okay."

Mr Wootton told BBC Radio Northampton: "I came into quarantine last Tuesday.

"I'd just been away, I went to Philippines and Singapore. I'm a drama teacher in a school and around this time all the teachers get about three weeks off for Chinese New Year.

"During that time most of the teachers go and do a bit of travelling around south east Asia.

"As I was travelling I got the news about coronavirus starting and spreading and so we got told to stay out of China for a bit, then come back around February 17 and spend two weeks in quarantine - but not where you live.

"I live at the school, they have dorms for teachers. But we couldn't go back to the school until they disinfected it.

"They put us up in hotel and we just have to stay in our rooms for two weeks."

Mr Wootton, who studied acting at University of Northampton, believes the Chinese authorities are doing everything they can to halt the spread of the virius, officially called Covid-19, which started in the city of Wuhan – around 500 miles from Shanghai – and has now infected more than 81,000 people worldwide with over 2,700 deaths recorded.

Thirteen people from the UK have tested positive for the virus so far, although eight patients have recovered and have been discharged from hospital.

Six of the patients were passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship – including Northamptonshire couple David and Sally Abel, who are now being treated in a Japanese hospital.

Northamptonshire School for Boys are also following Foreign Office guidelines after a group of students returned from a half-term skiing trip to Northern Italy close to 11 towns where 470 cases have been reported.

Mr Wootton added: "I cant see anyone else. There's a designated shop to go and get things you need but you just go there and come straight back, don't go anywhere else.

"They come round and give you breakfast, leave a bag outside the door. And they come round in their hazmat suits at lunchtime and give you lunch.

"It's not as scary as I thought it might be. I thought it was going to be a lot worse coming back to Shanghai but everyone is taking the proper precautions.

"When you come out of the airport, I just came straight to hotel. Everyone's taking proper precautions so it doesn't feel unsafe. It feels like they're taking control and of it and keeping it to a minimum.

Mr Wootton has managed to keep in touch with his family back in Northamptonshire.

He said: "I've got to stay here until next Tuesday. They message me everyday saying 'are you okay?' They're as worried as any family would be but I'm doing okay."