The number of coronavirus cases in the UK has soared by bringing the country’s total to – health officials have announced today.
The Department of Health and Social Care said more than , people have now been tested for the virus.
Ministers fear that , People could die in the UK from the virus, it has emerged today.
And Italy has placed 23 million people in quarantine in the north in a desperate attempt to stop the virus, which has killed (people in the country already.
Earlier, two more patients in Wales have tested positive for Covid – after recently returning from northern Italy.
Two football teams in Northern Ireland have been told to take precautionary measures after a player tested positive for coronavirus after a match.
Calls to the NHS the service has increased by more than a third compared to the same period last year, with 273, (extra calls in the first week of march.)
Calls to the NHS 233 service have increased by more than a third compared to the same period last year (Image: PA)
Some supermarket chains have started rationing goods at their stores after people started stockpiling amid coronavirus fears.
Tesco has announced the imposition of a limit of five items per customer on UHT milk, pasta and baked beans.
The Government has warned local councils to prepare for a potential coronavirus death toll as high as , Whitehall officials have given the “central estimate” to town halls as the UK moves into the second stage of the government strategy attempting to delay the spread of the virus.
Empty shelves where toilet roll is usually stocked at a supermarket in Edgware, north west London (Image: PA)
Boris Johnson will head a fresh emergency COBRA meeting tomorrow to discuss further precautions (Image: POOL / AFP via Getty Images) Meanwhile, Hanover Football Club in Co Armagh confirmed that one of its players was diagnosed with Covid – after Saturday’s game.
The footballer was one of three people to have contracted coronavirus as confirmed by health officials on Saturday evening.
) Boris Johnson will head a fresh emergency COBRA meeting tomorrow which will discuss further precautions.
Britain’s Finance Minister Rishi Sunak said the Government is ready to deliver “whatever action is required” to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
Asked if he would be spending and borrowing more to get through the crisis, the Chancellor said: “We’re looking very hard at the range of scenarios and making sure that in each of those we can respond appropriately.
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“And that means providing support for public services, and we’ve already done that with regard to the NHS, making sure that we can support vulnerable people, and also making sure that we can help businesses get through what could be a impact on their businesses – it could be significant, but for a temporary period of time. ”
He said the public finances are in a “very strong position”, adding: “Which means I can sit here and tell you I will take whatever action is required . ”
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