Coronavirus: Spread of virus in UK ‘likely’ says Boris Johnson

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The spread of coronavirus in the UK is “likely”, the PM has said, but a plan has been agreed to tackle it.

Boris Johnson said people “should go about business as usual” at the moment.

He said the UK was “very well prepared” and measures would be guided by scientific advice, with further details announced in the coming days and weeks.

He advised that “the single most useful thing” people could do was wash their hands “two times to Happy Birthday with hot water”.

What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

• WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? A simple guide
• WAYS TO PREVENT CATCHING IT: How to wash your hands
• WHERE ARE WE WITH A VACCINE? Progress so far
• A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE OUTBREAK: Virus maps and charts
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR MY HOLIDAY? Your rights as a traveller

A panel of experts and BBC reporters will be answering your questions about the coronavirus outbreak in a special programme on BBC One at 19:30 GMT on Monday

The Prime Minister said: “We have also agreed a plan so that if and when it starts to spread, as I’m afraid it looks likely it will, we are in a position to take the steps necessary to… contain the spread of the disease as far as we can, and to protect the most vulnerable.”

Downing Street said a UK-wide action plan to tackle coronavirus, agreed at Monday’s emergency Cobra meeting, would be published on Tuesday.

The Budget will go ahead as planned on March 11, despite the impact of the outbreak on the UK and global economy, a spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the EU has raised the coronavirus risk level in member states to “moderate to high”.

Earlier on Monday, Public Health England (PHE) said widespread transmission of coronavirus in the UK was now “highly likely”.

Medical Director Prof Paul Cosford said the increase in cases in the UK and abroad meant the UK must be prepared.

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If the outbreak worsens, the government has said measures could include asking newly-retired doctors and nurses to return to the NHS.

People could also be urged to work from home – and closing schools and cancelling major public events have also not been ruled out.

Thirteen new patients were diagnosed on Sunday.

The latest cases included 12 more in England and the first patient in Scotland, meaning the virus has now reached all four parts of the UK.

A health worker at an NHS cancer centre in Middlesex is also among the new cases.

Another is a staff member at Wimbledon College in south-west London, which has closed for deep cleaning.

Three of the new cases in England were linked to a man from Surrey, who was the first patient not to have been abroad recently and was instead infected within the UK.

A man who had been working in Bristol has also tested positive for the virus in Shenzhen, China, after flying from London to Hong Kong on Thursday, according to the Health Commission of Guangdong Province.

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Meanwhile, more British holidaymakers stuck in a quarantined hotel in Tenerife are preparing to return home after testing negative for the virus.

Around 25 Britons have already left the hotel, but 150 others are now in their seventh day at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace after a group of Italians contracted the virus.

Travel operator Jet2holidays said its customers would be travelling back to the UK on a dedicated flight on Monday afternoon.

Once home, they must isolate themselves until the original quarantine period ends on 10 March.