Two British Airways baggage handlers at London’s Heathrow Airport have tested positive for the killer coronavirus after the UK confirmed another death with the number of infected patients now up to 163.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was ‘very sorry’ to hear of the second fatality – a man in his 80s who had underlying health conditions. They died last night and tested positive for the illness today. A woman in her 70s, who also had long-term health troubles, died in Berkshire yesterday, reports Mailonline.

Meanwhile in South Africa, the source of the first case of coronavirus infection has been traced to Dubai, officials say.

The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK has now tripled in the space of three days, with just 51 cases confirmed on Tuesday. Forty-seven cases were announced today – the UK’s largest daily toll.

Fears may now be raised that the BA baggage handlers could have passed the virus onto passengers’ luggage, as the virus is known to survive on plastic surfaces for up to three days.

The fact that the handlers work at Heathrow – the busiest airport in Europe and one of the busiest in the world – raises the prospect that fliers from around the world have picked up the bug on some of the thousands of journeys which pass through the airport every day.

The UK’s chief scientific adviser today confirmed that the virus is spreading uncontrollably between people inside Britain. Sir Patrick Vallance admitted: ‘This is the start of an outbreak clearly… we can expect more cases.’

Anxious Britons have resorted to wearing gas masks and blankets on public transport in desperate attempts to protect themselves as the coronavirus continues its rampant spread across the UK, while supermarkets up and down the country have again been left bare amid rushes to stockpile household goods such as hand soap, nappies and dried foods like pasta and rice.

Facebook has closed its London offices for the weekend because an employee from Singapore was diagnosed with the coronavirus after visiting the English headquarters between February 24 and 26.

Furious doctors have warned the lack of spare beds in the NHS ‘will end in death’ and an ex-government worker claimed a coronavirus crisis in the UK ‘would be quite useful’ in killing off NHS bed blockers.

And Prime Minister Boris Johnson today pledged an extra £46million to rush through a coronavirus vaccine, after the scientific adviser, Sir Patrick, said a jab will not be ready during this outbreak – researchers hope one could be ready to use by the end of the year.

Mr Johnson even said it looks like the UK will face a ‘substantial period of disruption’ from the new coronavirus outbreak and the government plans to put aid for affected businesses in the national budget.