RUMOURS of coronavirus being confirmed at Furness General Hospital have been quashed.

Barrow and Furness MP Simon Fell confirmed he was aware of a rumour that the Barrow hospital had been closed due to a case of coronavirus but he said this was false and no cases had been confirmed.

The rumours are understood to have originated after images of hospital visitors being screened were circulated on social media.

Screening and testing is in place at all hospitals across the UK but no cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Cumbria.

Mr Fell said: "There is a rumour going around that Furness General is closed due to a case of coronavirus having been detected.

"Just to confirm that this is false - the hospital remains open, is safe to travel to and use, and no cases of coronavirus have been detected."

READ MORE: Coronavirus could hit Cumbria ‘in near future’

The Department of Health and Social Care is taking the lead on all news concerning the global outbreak of the virus since it was declared as a Public Health Emergency.

As of 27 February, a total of 7,690 people have been tested in the UK, of which 7,675 were confirmed negative and 15 positive.

Returning travellers are asked to call NHS 111, stay indoors and avoid contact with other people immediately if you’ve travelled to the UK from:

Hubei province in China in the last 14 days, even if you do not have symptoms;

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

Other 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 your symptoms are mild);

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