Coronavirus: In the UK, locking people up could prompt legal fights

Britain has detained more than 200 people since the virus emerged, a source said

The UK health secretary on Monday morning authorised an unprecedented policy for stopping possible carriers of the coronavirus: Lock them up. It was the first time in modern British history that such a move has been made in response to an epidemic — and it could prompt legal challenges.

The law, introduced under emergency measures, gives the government the power to detain any individuals who may be infected with the virus for at least 14 days, and to force them to give swabs. The decision came after a person in quarantine threatened to leave.

In the US, the government has resorted to