Five people are being tested for the coronavirus in Scotland – with Dundee students who have recently returned from China issued with medical advice.
The Scottish Government has confirmed five people are being examined after presenting with symptoms of the illness.
Six people are believed to be getting tested for the virus in the UK – with a patient understood to be undergoing tests at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital.
However the World Health Organisation said it is “too early” to declare an international public health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak.
Expert Professor Jurgen Haas earlier claimed there were four cases in Scotland – three in Edinburgh and another in Glasgow.
While none of the cases have been confirmed as the virus so far, two of those being tested in Scotland had been diagnosed with influenza after travelling to Wuhan, China.
A further three people are “undergoing testing on a similar precautionary basis”.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “As the situation develops we will update should there be any confirmed cases of Coronavirus, rather than provide a running update on cases being considered on a precautionary basis.
“We are co-orientating with Health Protection Scotland a daily Incident Management Team to continue to monitor the situation as it develops, including on the number of any potential cases going forward.”
A spokesman for the University of Dundee said it has issued advice to students recently in China and said they should be careful if receiving items, especially food, from areas where the virus is present.
It runs a joint education partnership with Wuhan University, with 34 students on the programme in Dundee who arrived in September.
Five staff returned from a visit to Wuhan last week, the spokesman added.
He said no health concerns have been raised among either group, adding: “We will continue to monitor the situation, taking advice from the relevant agencies as to appropriate action.”
Prof Haas, head of infection medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said he believes there will probably be similar cases in “many other cities” in the UK.
Downing Street said four suspected cases in Scotland are believed to involve Chinese nationals.
They all travelled to Scotland from Wuhan – where the outbreak is thought to have originated – within the past two weeks and are showing symptoms of respiratory trouble, a red flag for the virus.
Prof Haas told the PA news agency: “We have currently three cases suspected Wuhan coronavirus in Edinburgh and as far as I understand one case in Glasgow.”
He said the cases emerged overnight, adding: “The situation will be pretty similar in pretty much all UK cities with a large number of Chinese students.
“It’s not too surprising. My suspicion is that there will probably be many more cases in many other cities in the UK.
“None of the cases I know of have been confirmed.”
He said there is only one laboratory testing for the virus, operated by Public Health England (PHE).
The professor said the cases have been flagged up through the PHE infection guidelines as they travelled to Wuhan within the last 14 days and are showing signs of respiratory symptoms.
The disease has killed 17 people and infected nearly 600.
Cases have been reported in the US, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The Chinese government has effectively locked down Wuhan, cancelling planes and trains there and in the nearby city of Huanggang.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was questioned about the risk to people in Scotland at First Minister’s Questions at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.
She said the situation is being closely monitored, adding: “I should say, that the risk to the public here in Scotland – and indeed the UK – is currently classified as low but that is kept under review.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS is “ready to respond appropriately” to any cases of coronavirus that emerge in the UK.
In a statement to the Commons on Thursday, he said while “there is an increased likelihood that cases may arise in this country, we are well prepared and well equipped to deal with them”.
Officials from Public Health England have been monitoring direct flights from Wuhan city to the UK.
Under measures announced on Wednesday by the UK Government, the planes would have been taken to an isolated area of Terminal 4 at Heathrow after landing.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated its travel advice for China, advising against “all but essential travel” to Wuhan.
Mr Hancock said England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, is in contact with international experts and his counterparts to monitor the situation.
He added: “The chief medical officer has revised the risk to the UK population from very low to low and has concluded that while there is an increased likelihood that cases may arise in this country, we are well prepared and well equipped to deal with them.
“The UK is one of the first countries to develop a world-leading test for coronavirus, the NHS is ready to respond appropriately to any cases that emerge, clinicians in both primary and secondary care have already received advice covering initial detection and investigation of possible cases, infection control and diagnostics.
“The public can be assured that the whole of the UK is always well prepared for these type of outbreaks and we will remain vigilant and keep our response under constant review in light of emerging scientific evidence.”
Experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) are due to meet again on Thursday to decide whether to declare a global public health emergency over the virus.
