British Airways halts flights to Beijing and Shanghai following coronavirus outbreak

British Airways has halted flights to Beijing and Shanghai as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

It comes after the Foreign Office urged citizens not to travel to mainland China.

The airline has suspended bookings on its website for direct flights from London to Beijing and Shanghai until March.

BA's website shows no direct flights to China are available in January and February.

A spokeswoman for the airline said on Wednesday it was "assessing the situation".

Yesterday the British government advised against "all but essential" travel to mainland China due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The deadly virus has killed more than 130 people in China.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said officials are "working urgently to finalise arrangements for an assisted departure from Hubei Province for British nationals this week, and are in contact with people in Hubei to ensure they register their interest and that we can keep them updated".

He added: "Due to the increasing travel restrictions and the public health situation, we now advise against all but essential travel to China."

The Foreign Office has said UK nationals in China should "make decisions based on their own personal circumstances" over whether to leave other parts of the country.

The death toll in the country has risen to 132, with confirmed infections surging to nearly 6,000.

Four cases have been confirmed in Germany, making it the second European country to report cases, after France.

The United Arab Emirates has also confirmed its first cases of the virus in a family who recently returned to the UAE from Wuhan.

The Department of Health and Social Care said 97 people in the UK have been given the all-clear for the virus, although scientists predict it may have entered the country.

China has imposed travel restrictions between its major cities, while the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has suspended all tour group companies' activities to prevent further virus spread.

Hubei province has been on lockdown for several days as China seeks to contain the illness, as have other parts of China.

Hong Kong also said on Tuesday it would "temporarily" close some of its borders with mainland China and stop issuing travel permits to mainland Chinese tourists.

On Monday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock called for people who have returned from Wuhan to "self-isolate" even if they have no symptoms.

He said officials could not be 100 per cent certain the virus is not spread by people who are not displaying symptoms.

The move means more than 1,400 people who have returned from Wuhan since January 10 should isolate themselves for 14 days from the date of leaving China.

Following the latest Foreign Office travel advice, consumer group Which? said people with trips planned to China should be covered for cancellations by their travel insurance.