Four Hinkley Point C workers this week went into self-isolation due to fears over the coronavirus.

And a 35-year-old Chinese national working in Bristol on the Hinkley project was reported to have tested positive for the virus .

As a result, areas of the HPC site and workers’ buses were being deep-cleaned as a precaution.

An EDF spokesman said: “We have issued advice to staff on the steps we can all take to minimise individual risks.”

Two employees placed themselves in isolation after returning from Italy and Tenerife.

Two housemates, who also work at Hinkley Point, were taking similar precautions.

The Chinese worker , who has not been named ,works for EDF in Bristol on the HPC project. He was reported to have been diagnosed with the infection after flying to Hong Kong last week.

The EDF spokesman added: “Information reported online by the Chinse government said the individual developed symptoms two days after leaving the UK.

“Public Health England has advised that, based on this information, this person would not have posed an infection risk to colleagues or other contacts in the UK.

“Public Health England is working with the Chinese authorities to verify what has been reported.

“Should the information be confirmed, Public Health England is working with us to understand how the individual could have become infected.

“To support this, HPC is tracing people who may have been in contact with this individual between February 15 and 27 to see if they have shown symptoms.”