The city is at the centre of the so-called “super spreader” outbreak, believed to have been cased by a middle-aged businessman. The County Oak Medical Centre in the Hollingbury area of Brighton has been closed by the NHS. A sign on the widow reads: “Closed due to operational difficulties”. 

The practice is located about three-and-a-half miles north of Brighton city centre. 

Patients at the centre have been told to contact the NHS 111 phone service is they are concerned they could be displaying symptoms. 

The “super spreader” who is believed to be from the Hove area, was diagnosed in Brighton on Thursday after contracting the virus in Singapore. 

He was transferred to a specialist disease unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in London where he remains. 

He appears to have infected at least seven other people in the UK, France and Spain.

Concerned locals took to Twitter to react to the latest development. 

One man said: “Heard about it this morning. It’s my GP surgery and it very close to my house.”

The surgery is on the same street as Carden Primary School. 

One parent of a child attending the school said “plenty of people will have been in there recently and be at school pick up”. 

Another worried person urged anyone with symptoms to call the NHS hotline and not “just rock up at the GP”. 

More to follow…