TWO women who were travelling in Asia were tested for the coronavirus in Southend.

The women had gone travelling in Singapore, Malaysia and other areas of the continent when they returned home last week.

The women returned to the country on January 30, and began to show symptoms of the virus on Thursday last week.

They called the NHS's 111 service with their fears on Friday, who then informed Southend Hospital they would be attending to be tested.

The woman in her 50s, who asked not to be named, said: "We had got back and were showing the symptoms.

"We'd telephoned the NHS and went down to Southend on Friday to be tested.

"They had to test us in the car park outside. We were walking around with staff in hazmat suits to be tested.

"There was no isolation facilities at the hospital."

"It was really unnerving and people were staring at us, but we both got cleared.

"We've now isolated ourselves at our own homes, my friend is at hers and I'm still home now."

The women received the results directly from Public Health England on Tuesday that the tests were negative, but due to the countries they had travelled in were advised to isolate themselves for 14 days from the day they arrived back to the UK.

This means they will be free to come out of isolation tomorrow.

She added: "It's been a horrible week, my family have been isolated from me, I'm on my own. I'm very much looking forward to it being over."

Meanwhile, health bosses have confirmed there are no positive cases of Coronavirus in the East of England.

Martin Terry, Southend councillor for community safety has a discussion with the director of Public Health England.

Mr Terry said: “They told me there are no confirmed positive cases in the East of England.

“There may still be some suspected cases.”

Meanwhile, a patient is in isolation at Basildon Hospital after being tested for the coronavirus after returning from Thailand.

The patient is the fiance of ex-Towie star Harry Derbidge and took to social media yesterday to reveal he had been placed in isolation after undergoing tests.

Dean Rowland, 35, posted a picture on Instagram of him wearing a face mask at Basildon Hospital.

He said: “I’ve basically been really ill with flu the last few days and as I have recently visited Thailand my doctors thought it would be best that I am tested for coronavirus.

“Tests are now done and I will be isolated for the next few days until my results come back.”

Dean, who has 38,000 followers on the social network, added that tests for the virus have been done and he will be isolated for the ‘next few days’ until his results come back.

He originally posted a picture on his social media from Thailand on January 25, with his last post coming four days ago.

It is unclear when he returned to the UK, or how he travelled.

It is believed that Dean had been on holiday with his partner Harry, with the pair engaged and announcing plans recently to have their first child.

More than 45,000 patients have caught the virus across the world and at least 1,100 have died.

As of yesterday afternoon, at roughly 2pm, a total of 1,758 people have been tested across the UK, of which 1,750 were confirmed as negative.

Eight people have tested positive.

Yesterday evening, the first confirmed case in London was announced.

It is believed it was a Chinese national who was diagnosed.

Thailand, where Dean had visited, was the first country outside of China to confirm a patient had the deadly infection on January 13.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, has announced strengthened legal powers to bolster public health protections against coronavirus.

The regulations have been put in place to reduce the risk of further human-to-human transmission in this country by keeping individuals in isolation where public health professionals believe there is a reasonable risk an individual may have the virus.

Based on the scientific advice the UK Chief Medical Officers are advising anyone who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath, to stay indoors and call NHS 111, even if symptoms are mild.

These areas have been identified because of the volume of air travel from affected areas, understanding of other travel routes and number of reported cases.

Common signs include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

There is no specific treatment for disease caused by a novel coronavirus. However, many of the symptoms can be treated and therefore treatment is based on the patient’s clinical condition.

Officials have insisted that supportive care for infected persons can be highly effective.

Anyone who fears they may be suffering symptoms should contact 101 and Public Health England.