UK prisoner tested for coronavirus after Thailand extradition named as Mark Rumble

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Jacob Jarvis|Tim Baker12 February 2020

A prisoner extradited to the UK from Thailand has been named as one of two inmates being tested for coronavirus, a Thai official has confirmed.

Mark Rumble, 31, was flown back to the UK on January 27 after being accused of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, charges which he denies.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that two inmates at HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire were being tested for the deadly virus.

Rumble, who was identified as a prisoner being tested by Thailand's Department of Corrections, is said to have collapsed in his cell just days after arriving back in the UK.

Mark Rumble is being tested for coronavirus ()
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A staff member at Thailand's Department of Corrections told the Standard that Rumble had been tested before leaving the country and was found to be fit to travel.

She said: "We already checked his medical condition and he was fine.

"But we're not sure about where or when he could have got the virus. But at the moment there is no confirmation of the result."

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A statement from Thailand's Department of Corrections also confirmed his identity.

It said he was seen by medical teams in November and in January.

Rumble has been charged with six counts of conspiracy to supply drugs, and one count of possession of drugs.

These include tree counts of conspiracy to supply class A, three counts to supply class B and one count possession of class B

The second prisoner being tested at HMP Bullingdon has not been identified.

There are currently eight confirmed cases in the UK, and more than 45,000 worldwide - the majority of which are in mainland China.

Thailand has 33 cases of the virus confirmed. However, the nation's Department of Corrections said there have been no reports of cases among prisoners thus far.

Two prisoners are being tested for coronavirus at HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire
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The pair were confirmed as being infected with Covid-19 on Tuesday afternoon and are among 39 new cases aboard the Diamond Princess vessel.

It brings the number of Brits infected from the ship to three, following the diagnosis of honeymooner Alan Steele last week.

It comes as the number of cases in China swelled to 44,653 – despite the rate of infection appearing to slow down. There are more than 45,000 cases the world over.

Zhong Nanshan, one of China's most prominent health advisers, indicated that the declining infection rate may mean the outbreak could be over by April.

"I hope this outbreak or this event may be over in something like April," said the 83-year-old epidemiologist who played a role in combating an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003.

On Wednesday, the nation reported its lowest number of new cases since late January, with 2,015 confirmed on Tuesday.

The number of fatalities from the virus has risen to 1,113 in mainland China, where at least 60 million people remain on lockdown.

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