Twitter searches for coronavirus to lead users to government advice to 'tackle misinformation'

A Twitter search for the coronavirus will lead users to official government information about the illness, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced.

The UK is the first country in the EU to have this kind of arrangement with Twitter, the DHSC said, ensuring users would be directed to "credible, authoritative information to help tackle misinformation”.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it is “crucial” everyone can access credible information during what is a “rapidly evolving situation”.

He said: “I welcome that Twitter is taking action to direct users to official Government health advice, helping to tackle misinformation and ensure the public is well informed.

“This action is hugely important, and I want to see more social media companies follow their lead.

“I want to stress there are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the UK and we have world-leading clinicians and expert teams working to protect UK patients and staff to the highest standards possible.”

Twitter will direct users to official information.

It comes as it was confirmed that an evacuation flight to bring British nationals back to the UK from Wuhan will leave early on Friday.

The flight will depart for the UK at 5am (9pm GMT), Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, adding that the "safety and security of British nationals is our top priority".

It is thought around 200 people will be on the flight and passengers say they have been told only to take hand luggage.

An illustration of the 2019 coronavirus strain. Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The death toll in China passed 170 on Thursday, infections rose to 7,711 and cases of human-to-human transmission were confirmed in at least three other countries.

So far, all the deaths and the majority of the infections have been in China, though at least 40 cases in 15 other countries have been reported.

In the UK, there have been a total of 161 tests for the virus, all of which have come back negative.

Some 1,466 passengers and 95 staff arrived in the UK on direct flights from Wuhan, which is where the virus is believed to have originated, between January 10 and 24.

Of those, 162 have already left the UK and 760 are now outside of the incubation period, according to Public Health England (PHE).

PHE are working to contact the remaining passengers.