Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged Britons to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres and stop non-essential travel in an effort to reduce the impact of the coronavirus.

On Monday, Mr Johnson set out the need for "drastic action" to tackle the "fast growth" of the coronavirus as cases rose to 1,543 in the UK.

As part of the measures, anyone living in a household with somebody who has either a persistent cough or fever must now also isolate themselves for 14 days.

All people should avoid gatherings and crowded places, while people who are vulnerable - including those who are elderly - will need to undertake even more drastic measures.

Chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, said measures to tackle the spread of the disease would need to be in place for a "prolonged period". He added: "We should not be under any illusions that 'if we just do this for a couple of weeks that is sufficient'."

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