FILE PHOTO: Britain's Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock leaves Downing Street in London, Britain February 6, 2020. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is not planning to cancel mass gatherings or large sports events over the concerns about coronavirus, but will need legislation in case it needs to take action in the future, British health minister Matt Hancock said on Tuesday.

“Right now, we do not recommend the cancelling of mass events and schools as well should not be closing unless there is a positive case and the schools have the advice to close,” Hancock told BBC TV.

“There maybe things we have to do down the line that we don’t want to, but we will need the powers to do that hence proposing emergency legislation.”