The UK is expected to move into phase two of its coronavirus action plan on Thursday following the World Health Organisation’s decision to declare it a pandemic.
A Cobra meeting is due to be held this afternoon, where the Prime Minister is expected to announce the country will move into the “delay” phase in an attempt to stop the virus spreading.
On Wednesday night, it emerged a UK Cabinet minister was self-isolating while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test.
The unnamed minister was tested after coming into contact with Health Minister Nadine Dorries, who contracted Covid-19 at a recent Downing Street reception.
Italy, meanwhile, said it would close all shops except food stores and pharmacies as its virus death toll soared past 800.
WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there had been a 13-fold increase in cases outside China in the past two weeks.
Worldwide, 114 nations are now affected, with more than 125,000 cases. More than 4,600 deaths have been recorded.
It comes as Scotland recorded its first case of a community transmission, meaning the patient’s infection cannot be traced to travel or another known case.
Dr Tedros said the decision to escalate to pandemic status did not increase its assessment of the threat or advice on how to contain and mitigate it.
He said: “We are deeply concerned. We have therefore made the assessment that Covid-19 can be characterised as a pandemic.”
It also emerged yesterday that the Liberal Democrats had cancelled their spring conference this weekend due to the outbreak.
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