Men wearing protective face masks on Westminster bridge in Westminster as the number of coronavirus cases grow around the world. London, Britain, March 17, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

LONDON (Reuters) - British cases of coronavirus rose 26% to 1,950 from 1,543 the day before, the health ministry said.

Britain reported its first confirmed coronavirus case on Jan. 31. There have so far been 56 reported deaths.

“As of 9am on 17 March 2020, 50,442 people have been tested in the UK, of which 48,492 were confirmed negative and 1,950 were confirmed as positive,” the government said.