SEVERAL students from the University of Southampton are isolating themselves after one fell ill on return from coronavirus-hit China.

A spokesman for the university said the student who felt ill "did exactly the right thing" and contacted the NHS.

Paramedics were then sent to the university halls of residence on Monday to take the student to hospital.

It is unclear which region of China the student was returning from. They have now been discharged from hospital.

The spokesman said: "Yesterday, one of our residents at Mayflower Halls returned from China and transferred directly from the airport to their flat without visiting campus.

"Having then felt unwell, they did exactly the right thing, self-isolated and referred themselves to the NHS.

"As a precautionary measure, an ambulance was called to take them to SouthamptonGeneral Hospital for tests.

"The individual has since been discharged by the NHS, but in accordance with Public Health England's official guidance will remain in self-isolation.

"We have spoken to the student's flatmates and, also following the guidance from PHE, they have agreed to self-isolate until we receive further clarification from local health services.

"In addition, we have deep cleaned communal areas within the flat as well as associated lifts, to help reinforce the best practice that is already being followed."

It comes as all 30,000 UK nationals in China were urged to leave the country.

In a dramatic escalation of its official advice to just avoid China, the Foreign Office is now actively urging people to leave. 

The US is refusing entry at its border to all foreign travellers who have been to China in the past two weeks.