A TOTAL of 200 people who are expected to return to the UK tomorrow from Wuhan following the outbreak of the coronavirus are set to be quarantined at a secret NHS facility in the North West, the Government has confirmed.

A Department of Health and Social Care could not confirm where the facility was in the region but said the group would be housed in a secluded area away from the general public to make sure that they do not have symptoms of the virus.

So far 170 people have died from the virus in China and there is over 7,700 confirmed cases so far.

As of January 29, a total of 130 UK tests have concluded, of which 130 were confirmed negative and 0 positive.

British Airways has extended the cancellation of all its flights to and from mainland China up to and including February 29 due to the coronavirus.

The airline said: "We are contacting customers on cancelled flights so we can discuss their travel options, including re-booking onto other carriers where possible, full refunds or booking with BA for a later date of travel.

"Customers can also find the latest information and options on BA.com.

"Safety is at the heart of everything we do and we will keep the situation under review."

The UK was working "urgently" with Chinese authorities on Thursday to ensure citizens in Wuhan can return on a flight "as soon as possible", Downing Street has said.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We are doing everything we can to get British people in Wuhan safely back to the UK.

"A number of countries' flights have been unable to take off as planned including the British repatriation from Wuhan.

"We are working urgently with the Chinese authorities to ensure that the flight can take off as soon as possible."

The flight is planned to touch down at a military base in the UK before passengers are taken to an NHS facility to be quarantined.

But the plane has been prevented from leaving China because "we haven't got the necessary clearances and we are working with the Chinese authorities on securing those", the spokesman said.

Responding to an urgent question in the House of Lords on the outbreak, Health Minister Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford said the action taken by the UK Government was "very proportionate, but also robust".

She told peers that of the 131 tests so far carried out in the UK, all had been negative with no confirmed cases.

Lady Blackwood said: "I do believe we should be confident in the actions we have taken.

"They are measured, they are proportionate, but they are based on the highest level of scientific and clinical advice from our Chief Medical Officer and Public Health England. We will, of course, keep it under continued review."