A decision by the Italian authorities to place 16 million people into coronavirus quarantine descended into chaos on Sunday night as dozens of flights from affected areas were permitted to land in Britain.

More than a quarter of the population of Italy was placed on lockdown in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus after deaths in the country rose by a third in a single day.

On Monday, Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, will convene a Cobra meeting of his top ministers and advisers in the Cabinet Office as Britain braces for the full force of the outbreak.

On Sunday, the number of confirmed cases in the UK rose by 64 to 278, the biggest increase to date, and a third patient died in the UK, the Chief Medical Officer confirmed.

The patient, who was being treated at the North Manchester General Hospital, was over 60 and had significant underlying health conditions. They had recently travelled from an affected area, the chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said, adding that contact tracing is under way.

Ministers have come under pressure to cancel major events after Germany moved to ban gatherings of more than 1,000 people.