Yahoo News Coronavirus cases in UK jump to 273 in largest single-day increase to date
There are now 273 people with confirmed coronavirus infections in the UK, the Department of Health and Social Care has said.
It is the largest single increase so far, up 64 from 209 on Saturday.
Ministers are to hold a meeting of the government’s disaster emergency committee tomorrow where they could sign-off plans to move the UK into the “delay” phase of efforts to fight the virus. This would be an acknowledgement there is now no chance of containing the virus.
Emergency laws are being drawn up to allow courts to sit virtually during the epidemic as well as new employment protections for three million health and social care volunteers.
Coronavirus has now spread to more than 90 countries, killing more than 3,400 people and infecting 100,000 worldwide.
After seeing a substantial jump in cases the Italian government has placed the entire Lombardy region of Italy in quarantine in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading.
Italy has seen its largest daily increase in new cases, with 5,883 confirmed to have been infected by Covid-19, up from 4,636 the previous day.
The lockdown area includes Milan, as well as Venice and marks one of the toughest actions yet taken by a European country to stop the virus spreading. Around 16 million people are thought to be affected by the lockdown.
Under a draft decree published by the Italian government, citizens will be unable to leave or enter the Lombardy region, while similar restrictions are extended in established “red zones” including Venice, Parma and Modena.
Doctors in Italy have also issued a stark warning to hospital systems across Europe telling them to “get ready” for the virus which has overwhelmed intensive care units with 10 per cent of those infected with the virus needing critical care.
More follows…
Read more
What are symptoms of coronavirus – and where has it spread?
Latest travel updates as coronavirus continues to spread
Can face masks really protect you against coronavirus or flu?
