Minor injury units have installed the external facilities on their grounds in response to the outbreak.

External isolation pods have been set up at the hospitals in response to the outbreak.

NHS England has ordered all hospitals with A&E departments and minor injury units to install the external pods to keep suspected coronavirus patients away from other patients.

The facilities are now available on the grounds of Doddington Hospital in Doddington, near March, the Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely and North Cambs Hospital in Wisbech.

They are all being run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Trust.

An NHS spokesperson said: "Following national guidance all hospitals have put in place NHS 111 pods.

"Over the coming weeks many more of us may need to self-isolate at home for a period to reduce this virus's spread.

"Everyone can continue to play their part by taking simple steps such as washing hands to prevent the spread of infection and calling NHS 111 first before going to the doctors or A&E if they have any concerns about or show symptoms of coronavirus."

If feeling unwell, patients will be advised to get themselves to their nearest facilities after speaking to the NHS 111 clinician. Arrangements will then be made for swabs and tests to be carried out for coronavirus.

It is not possible to just show up at one of the isolation pods or the hospitals.

The number of UK cases has now reached 50, and the government's current response is focused on containing the outbreak. There are currently no reported cases in Cambridgeshire.

This week it was back to business for Ely College, which had to introduced extra health precautions after a small number of students fell ill following a ski trip to northern Italy over the half term.

School principal Richard Spencer has since told parents that none of the students were diagnosed with coronavirus.

- What do you think about how the coronavirus outbreak has been handled? Email louise.hepburn@archant.co.uk with your views.