NEWS UPDATE: Spain coronavirus case ruled out in Torrevieja hospital Icelandic patient

THE Spanish health authorities have ruled out the possibility that a 66-year Icelandic tourist admitted to Torrevieja hospital on Monday suffering from symptoms of a respiratory illness has the coronavirus.

The woman was initially believed to have recently visited the Chinese city of Wuhan where the virus is thought to have emerged and which is currently on lockdown.

According to Spanish media it has now emerged that she did not travel to China, but to other countries in Asia.

The hospital had put the woman and her 52-year old partner, who accompanied to the hospital, in isolation from other patients as a precaution while her test results were being analysed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid.

The hospital has now reportedly deactivated the alert.

Meanwhile, the Spanish Foreign Ministry has announced that the Government is continuing to work with the European Union and China to organise the repatriation of Spanish citizens “in strict compliance with health protocols.”