Norwich students who have returned from Italy have been given guidance to only self-isolate if they develop symptoms.

A group of fashion students from City College Norwich returned from Florence yesterday.

The Department for Health and Social Care updated its information for returning travellers as part of efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The new advice has asked anyone who had been to the "lockdown region" in northern Italy, including 10 towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto, to self-isolate even if they do not have symptoms and call 111.

The government also stated if a person had returned from other parts of Italy in the last 14 days and developed symptoms, however mild, they should self-isolate and call 111.

A spokesperson for City College Norwich said:"The college is operating in line with the government's advice and updates concerning coronavirus. In line with that advice, our fashion communication students' trip to Florence went ahead as planned.

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"In response to the latest update, issued while the group were travelling back from Florence on Thursday, we provided our returning students and staff with the revised advice for anyone who has travelled to parts of Italy not under containment measures - namely, that they do not need to undertake any special measures, but that if they develop symptoms they should self-isolate and call NHS 111.

"The college will continue to operate in line with all the government advice concerning coronavirus and we are working proactively to ensure students and staff are kept up to date with the very latest guidance."

Italy has become the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Europe. The death toll there climbed to 148 on Thursday, with 3,858 cases confirmed.

The Italian government has placed temporary restrictions on visiting relatives in nursing homes, urged the elderly not to go outside unless absolutely necessary and closed schools and universities nationwide until March 15.

It also ordered all sporting events to take place without fans until April 3.

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