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Forty-eight new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Britain today as the Government’s chief scientific adviser said an outbreak in this country had now started.

The sharp rise means the number of cases has almost quadrupled in a week, from 40 on Monday to 163 today.

Some of this increase is due to testing and surveillance by hospitals and GPs being ramped up.

The Department of Health said more than 20,000 people had been tested for the virus.

Coronavirus - In pictures 80 show all Coronavirus - In pictures 1/80 A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images 2/80 Customers wearing face masks shop at the pork counter of a supermarket following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei province Reuters 3/80 Westminster Bridge is deserted in London the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA 4/80 Canadian passengers Chris & Anna Joiner ask for help onboard the MS Zaandam, Holland America Line cruise ship, during the coronavirus outbreak, off the shores of Panama City via Reuters 5/80 A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City Reuters 6/80 The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 7/80 Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons 8/80 Commuters cope with Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn 9/80 Milan's Piazza del Duomo empty AFP via Getty Images 10/80 People in protective clothing walk past rows of beds at a temporary 2,000-bed hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients set up by the Iranian army at the international exhibition center in northern Tehran, Iran AP 11/80 Martina Papponetti, 25, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo, Italy poses for a portrait at the end of her shift AP 12/80 Pope Francis celebrating a daily mass alone in the Santa Marta chapel at the Vatican, as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Imag 13/80 Vysheyshaya Liga - FC Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino v FC Belshina Bobruisk - Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus, March 27, 2020 Players in action during the match despite most sport being cancelled around the world as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 14/80 Hanks and Wilson both have coronavirus Tom Hanks 15/80 General view of an emergency makeshift field hospital as it is set up at Pacaembu Stadium for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with a capacity of 200 beds in Sao Paulo, Brazil Getty Images 16/80 People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres, work from home if possible and avoid all non-essential contacts and travel in order to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic PA 17/80 Naomi Campbell catches a flight in a hazmat suit with goggles, a surgical mask and rubber gloves @naomi 18/80 Sophie and Emily Ward pose for a photograph with their hand-drawn picture of rainbows and a message on their window in St Helens, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 19/80 Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Corona virus outbreak. PA 20/80 Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon, south London, on the weekend after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close PA 21/80 Charing Cross Tube Bakerloo Line very quiet at 8.15am Jeremy Selwyn 22/80 A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA 23/80 A Racegoer attend Cheltenham Festival on Ladies Day wearing a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com 24/80 Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale PA 25/80 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 26/80 A couple kiss in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan on March 8, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 27/80 A combination picture shows visitors wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) looking at blooming cherry blossom nd a pigeon walking at an closed cherry blossom viewing spot during the first weekend after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (not pictured) urged Tokyo residents to stay indoors, in a bid to keep the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading Reuters 28/80 This combination photo created on March 5, 2020 shows tourists visiting Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province on March 16, 2019 (top) and on March 5, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 29/80 Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Getty Images 30/80 U.S. President Donald Trump looks at the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package bill as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence stand by during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House Reuters 31/80 A satellite image shows an empty South Beach during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Miami, via Reuters 32/80 General view inside the empty stadium as the two teams line up prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes UEFA via Getty Images 33/80 A Sainsbury's supermarket in Cambridge is among those to sell out of antibacterial hand sanitizer PA 34/80 Tents and ambulances are set up next to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess cruise as it sits docked in the Port of Oakland on March 09, 2020 in Oakland, California. The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has been held from docking until today as at least 21 people on board have tested positive for COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus Getty Images 35/80 Medical staff produce traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images 36/80 Army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea AP 37/80 Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing protective gear walks at a hospital for patients infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the outskirts of Moscow via Reuters 38/80 A woman who has recovered from the COVID-19 is disinfected by volunteers as she arrives at a hotel for a 14-day quarantine AFP via Getty Images 39/80 Passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship are seen as the ship arrives at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine after a number of the 3,700 people on board were diagnosed with coronavirus Getty Images 40/80 Dave Abel pictured in hospital in Japan 41/80 Manchester United fans in the stands during the Premier League match at Old Trafford PA 42/80 Police officers wearing masks stand in front of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife AP 43/80 Carnival revellers wear protective face masks at Venice Carnival Reuters 44/80 A general view is pictured of Burbage Primary School in Buxton, Derbyshire after the closure of the school as a pupil's parent has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Images 45/80 People wearing face masks walk past the Olympic rings in front of the new National Stadium, the main stadium for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Game Getty Images 46/80 People leave Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre in Milton Keynes where Coronavirus evacuees are due to be released from quarantine today and allowed to go home PA 47/80 Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA 48/80 A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridg Getty Images 49/80 A general view of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex PA 50/80 Passengers relax on board the Holland America-operated Westerdam cruise ship, which has been denied permission to dock in Thailand over coronavirus fears via Reuters 51/80 A child waves as she sits in a vehicle carrying residents evacuated from a public housing building, following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, outside Hong Mei House, at Cheung Hong Estate in Hong Kong Reuters 52/80 A woman wearing a Minnie Mouse face mask looks at her mobile phone in Beijing on February 11, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 53/80 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia after a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus on board, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 54/80 A patient covered with a bed sheet at an exhibition centre converted into a hospital as it starts to accept patients displaying mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images 55/80 A medical official takes the body temperature of a man at the departure hall of the airport in Changsha, Hunan Province, as the country is hit by an outbreak of a new coronavirus, China Reuters 56/80 The view of the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center Getty Images 57/80 A plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire 58/80 A police vehicle enters the gates of the Royal Air Force station RAF Brize Norton in Carterton AFP via Getty Images 59/80 Passengers wear face masks as the push their luggage after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images 60/80 French citizens arrive and settle aboard of an evacuation plane with destination southeastern France, before departure from Wuhan Airport (WUH), China AFP via Getty Images 61/80 Police stand at a checkpoint at the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge that crosses from Hubei province in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China Reuters 62/80 A member of staff at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside prepares for a bus carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China PA 63/80 Doctor Paul McKay, who is working on an vaccine for the 2019-nCoV strain of the novel coronavirus, poses for a photograph with bacteria containing fragments of coronavirus DNA, at Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) in Londo AFP via Getty Images 64/80 Workers produce masks at the Thai Hospital Product Company Ltd. factory in Bangkok AFP via Getty Images 65/80 Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 66/80 People hoard bottles of alcohol after the Philippine government confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the country, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Reuters 67/80 Taking precautions: with fears growing that the coronavirus will spread from China, a health official checks a woman’s temperature on the underground in Beijing Getty Images 68/80 An empty road is seen in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on January 27, 2020, amid a deadly virus outbreak which began in the city AFP via Getty Images 69/80 Students wearing masks meditate prior to a lesson at a high school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia AP 70/80 Medical staff at the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital wear protective clothing to help stop the spread of a deadly virus AFP via Getty Images 71/80 Staff move bio-waste containers past the entrance of the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some infected with a new virus are being treated, in Wuhan, China AP 72/80 Workers driving excavators at the construction site of a field hospital In Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The builders will complete the 1,000-bed hospital by February 3 to cope with the surge of 2019-nCoV patients in the city Getty Images 73/80 Buddhist monks wear masks as they walk near Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodi AP 74/80 A woman and a child wearing protective masks walk toward check-in counters at Daxing international airport in Beijing AFP via Getty Images 75/80 An employee sprays disinfectant on a train as a precaution against a new coronavirus at Suseo Station in Seoul, South Korea AP 76/80 A policeman wearing a mask walks past a quarantine notice about the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China at an arrival hall of Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan Reuters 77/80 Paramilitary police wear face masks as they stand guard at Tiananmen Gate adjacent to Tiananmen Square in Beijing AP 78/80 The resident wear masks to buy vegetables in the market in Wuhan Getty Images 79/80 Staff sell masks at a Yifeng Pharmacy in Wuhan AP 80/80 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV AP 1/80 A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images 2/80 Customers wearing face masks shop at the pork counter of a supermarket following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei province Reuters 3/80 Westminster Bridge is deserted in London the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA 4/80 Canadian passengers Chris & Anna Joiner ask for help onboard the MS Zaandam, Holland America Line cruise ship, during the coronavirus outbreak, off the shores of Panama City via Reuters 5/80 A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City Reuters 6/80 The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 7/80 Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons 8/80 Commuters cope with Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn 9/80 Milan's Piazza del Duomo empty AFP via Getty Images 10/80 People in protective clothing walk past rows of beds at a temporary 2,000-bed hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients set up by the Iranian army at the international exhibition center in northern Tehran, Iran AP 11/80 Martina Papponetti, 25, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo, Italy poses for a portrait at the end of her shift AP 12/80 Pope Francis celebrating a daily mass alone in the Santa Marta chapel at the Vatican, as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Imag 13/80 Vysheyshaya Liga - FC Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino v FC Belshina Bobruisk - Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus, March 27, 2020 Players in action during the match despite most sport being cancelled around the world as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 14/80 Hanks and Wilson both have coronavirus Tom Hanks 15/80 General view of an emergency makeshift field hospital as it is set up at Pacaembu Stadium for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with a capacity of 200 beds in Sao Paulo, Brazil Getty Images 16/80 People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres, work from home if possible and avoid all non-essential contacts and travel in order to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic PA 17/80 Naomi Campbell catches a flight in a hazmat suit with goggles, a surgical mask and rubber gloves @naomi 18/80 Sophie and Emily Ward pose for a photograph with their hand-drawn picture of rainbows and a message on their window in St Helens, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 19/80 Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Corona virus outbreak. PA 20/80 Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon, south London, on the weekend after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close PA 21/80 Charing Cross Tube Bakerloo Line very quiet at 8.15am Jeremy Selwyn 22/80 A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA 23/80 A Racegoer attend Cheltenham Festival on Ladies Day wearing a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com 24/80 Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale PA 25/80 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 26/80 A couple kiss in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan on March 8, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 27/80 A combination picture shows visitors wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) looking at blooming cherry blossom nd a pigeon walking at an closed cherry blossom viewing spot during the first weekend after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (not pictured) urged Tokyo residents to stay indoors, in a bid to keep the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading Reuters 28/80 This combination photo created on March 5, 2020 shows tourists visiting Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province on March 16, 2019 (top) and on March 5, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 29/80 Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Getty Images 30/80 U.S. President Donald Trump looks at the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package bill as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence stand by during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House Reuters 31/80 A satellite image shows an empty South Beach during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Miami, via Reuters 32/80 General view inside the empty stadium as the two teams line up prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes UEFA via Getty Images 33/80 A Sainsbury's supermarket in Cambridge is among those to sell out of antibacterial hand sanitizer PA 34/80 Tents and ambulances are set up next to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess cruise as it sits docked in the Port of Oakland on March 09, 2020 in Oakland, California. The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has been held from docking until today as at least 21 people on board have tested positive for COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus Getty Images 35/80 Medical staff produce traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images 36/80 Army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea AP 37/80 Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing protective gear walks at a hospital for patients infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the outskirts of Moscow via Reuters 38/80 A woman who has recovered from the COVID-19 is disinfected by volunteers as she arrives at a hotel for a 14-day quarantine AFP via Getty Images 39/80 Passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship are seen as the ship arrives at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine after a number of the 3,700 people on board were diagnosed with coronavirus Getty Images 40/80 Dave Abel pictured in hospital in Japan 41/80 Manchester United fans in the stands during the Premier League match at Old Trafford PA 42/80 Police officers wearing masks stand in front of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife AP 43/80 Carnival revellers wear protective face masks at Venice Carnival Reuters 44/80 A general view is pictured of Burbage Primary School in Buxton, Derbyshire after the closure of the school as a pupil's parent has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Images 45/80 People wearing face masks walk past the Olympic rings in front of the new National Stadium, the main stadium for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Game Getty Images 46/80 People leave Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre in Milton Keynes where Coronavirus evacuees are due to be released from quarantine today and allowed to go home PA 47/80 Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA 48/80 A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridg Getty Images 49/80 A general view of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex PA 50/80 Passengers relax on board the Holland America-operated Westerdam cruise ship, which has been denied permission to dock in Thailand over coronavirus fears via Reuters 51/80 A child waves as she sits in a vehicle carrying residents evacuated from a public housing building, following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, outside Hong Mei House, at Cheung Hong Estate in Hong Kong Reuters 52/80 A woman wearing a Minnie Mouse face mask looks at her mobile phone in Beijing on February 11, 2020 AFP via Getty Images 53/80 The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia after a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus on board, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 54/80 A patient covered with a bed sheet at an exhibition centre converted into a hospital as it starts to accept patients displaying mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images 55/80 A medical official takes the body temperature of a man at the departure hall of the airport in Changsha, Hunan Province, as the country is hit by an outbreak of a new coronavirus, China Reuters 56/80 The view of the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center Getty Images 57/80 A plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire 58/80 A police vehicle enters the gates of the Royal Air Force station RAF Brize Norton in Carterton AFP via Getty Images 59/80 Passengers wear face masks as the push their luggage after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images 60/80 French citizens arrive and settle aboard of an evacuation plane with destination southeastern France, before departure from Wuhan Airport (WUH), China AFP via Getty Images 61/80 Police stand at a checkpoint at the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge that crosses from Hubei province in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China Reuters 62/80 A member of staff at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside prepares for a bus carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China PA 63/80 Doctor Paul McKay, who is working on an vaccine for the 2019-nCoV strain of the novel coronavirus, poses for a photograph with bacteria containing fragments of coronavirus DNA, at Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) in Londo AFP via Getty Images 64/80 Workers produce masks at the Thai Hospital Product Company Ltd. factory in Bangkok AFP via Getty Images 65/80 Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters 66/80 People hoard bottles of alcohol after the Philippine government confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the country, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Reuters 67/80 Taking precautions: with fears growing that the coronavirus will spread from China, a health official checks a woman’s temperature on the underground in Beijing Getty Images 68/80 An empty road is seen in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on January 27, 2020, amid a deadly virus outbreak which began in the city AFP via Getty Images 69/80 Students wearing masks meditate prior to a lesson at a high school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia AP 70/80 Medical staff at the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital wear protective clothing to help stop the spread of a deadly virus AFP via Getty Images 71/80 Staff move bio-waste containers past the entrance of the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some infected with a new virus are being treated, in Wuhan, China AP 72/80 Workers driving excavators at the construction site of a field hospital In Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The builders will complete the 1,000-bed hospital by February 3 to cope with the surge of 2019-nCoV patients in the city Getty Images 73/80 Buddhist monks wear masks as they walk near Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodi AP 74/80 A woman and a child wearing protective masks walk toward check-in counters at Daxing international airport in Beijing AFP via Getty Images 75/80 An employee sprays disinfectant on a train as a precaution against a new coronavirus at Suseo Station in Seoul, South Korea AP 76/80 A policeman wearing a mask walks past a quarantine notice about the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China at an arrival hall of Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan Reuters 77/80 Paramilitary police wear face masks as they stand guard at Tiananmen Gate adjacent to Tiananmen Square in Beijing AP 78/80 The resident wear masks to buy vegetables in the market in Wuhan Getty Images 79/80 Staff sell masks at a Yifeng Pharmacy in Wuhan AP 80/80 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV AP

A daily update of figures on its website said: “As of 7am on March 6 2020, 20,338 people have been tested in the UK, of which 20,175 were confirmed negative and 163 were confirmed as positive. One patient who tested positive for Covid-19 has died.”

Sir Patrick Vallance today said it was now evident that Covid-19 is spreading here from person to person, having been largely imported from infection hotspots such as Italy and Iran.

“This is a global epidemic and we would expect to see more cases in the UK,” Sir Patrick told Sky News this morning. “This is the start of an outbreak clearly.”

His warning came as:

Boris Johnson announced an extra £46 million funding, drawn from aid money, for scientific research, setting a target for UK labs to develop a vaccine in a record-breaking 12 months. The cash will also help roll out a home-testing kit in time for the summer peak.

The number of Covid-19 cases worldwide was set to breach the 100,000 mark, with more than 3,300 deaths. Scientists said the real figures are almost certainly higher.

Sir Patrick said infected people may be less likely to spread the virus at a football match than watching the game in a pub, a more confined space.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government is working with supermarkets to ensure food supplies as the number of people self-isolating with coronavirus is expected to rise sharply. With some supermarkets seeing their shelves cleared of essentials such as toilet roll and paracetamol, Mr Hancock stressed there was “absolutely no need” for individual people “to go round buying more than they need.”

Fraudsters have stolen at least £800,000 from people panic-buying, including £15,000 from one person who tried to stockpile face masks, said the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. And experts said people working from home due to the virus are being targeted by hackers. Dr Asma Adnane said businesses must invest in security before letting staff remotely access data.

Parcel firm Hermes earned praise for announcing a £1 million fund to support delivery drivers who cannot work because they are self-isolating.

The first Covid-19 linked fatality was confirmed in the UK yesterday by the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust in Reading — a woman in her seventies who had been suffering from underlying health conditions.

Before today's update about a third of the cases in the UK had been in London or the South-East, with the number of cases jumping in recent days as health officials stepped up efforts to identify them.

Londoners wear Coronavirus masks - In pictures 46 show all Londoners wear Coronavirus masks - In pictures 1/46 A man wearing a protective mask travels on the underground tube Reuters 2/46 A woman wearing a protective face mask Jeremy Selwyn 3/46 A man and woman wearing protective face masks on a bus PA 4/46 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 5/46 A woman shopper wears a protective mask as she walks down an aisle in a supermarket in London AFP via Getty Images 6/46 A man wearing a face mask waits to board an underground train on the Central Line at Bank station in London AP 7/46 A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA 8/46 A woman wearing a protective face mask walking down Oxford Street in London PA 9/46 A woman wearing a mask walks by the Emirates Stadium Action Images via Reuters 10/46 A man is seen wearing a protective face mask at Waterloo station Reuters 11/46 A woman wears a surgical mask as she walks through Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport Reuters 12/46 A fan in the stands wears a mask during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridg PA 13/46 A man wearing a protective face mask walking down Oxford Street PA 14/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 15/46 A person wears a mask in a display of street style outside the BFC Show Space show in London PA 16/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 17/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 18/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 19/46 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 20/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 21/46 A commuter on the tube wearing a face mask Jeremy Selwyn 22/46 A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridge Getty Images 23/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 24/46 A man wearing a face mask walks past an entrance sign for Bank underground train station AP 25/46 The coronavirus outbreak will unlikely lead to a Tube ban PA 26/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 27/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 28/46 A woman wearing a face mask on the London Underground. PA 29/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 30/46 A pedestrian wears a face mask whilst walking along High Holborn PA 31/46 A pedestrian wears a face mask whilst walking along High Holborn PA 32/46 A man wears a mask as he takes a photograph in China Town AP 33/46 A man in a hazmat suit and face mask cleans the Ritchie Street Health Centre, Islington PA 34/46 A commuter at Euston wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 35/46 A commuter at Euston wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 36/46 A man arrives at Euston Underground wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 37/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 38/46 St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn 39/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 40/46 Jeremy Selwyn 41/46 Staff in suits at St Thomas's Hospital today Jeremy Selwyn 42/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 43/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 44/46 A man wears a face mask as he stands near an electronic arrivals board at Terminal 4 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images 45/46 A man wears a face mask as he walks along the Thames embankment AFP via Getty Images 46/46 A woman wearing a protective face mask is seen on London Bridg Reuters 1/46 A man wearing a protective mask travels on the underground tube Reuters 2/46 A woman wearing a protective face mask Jeremy Selwyn 3/46 A man and woman wearing protective face masks on a bus PA 4/46 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 5/46 A woman shopper wears a protective mask as she walks down an aisle in a supermarket in London AFP via Getty Images 6/46 A man wearing a face mask waits to board an underground train on the Central Line at Bank station in London AP 7/46 A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA 8/46 A woman wearing a protective face mask walking down Oxford Street in London PA 9/46 A woman wearing a mask walks by the Emirates Stadium Action Images via Reuters 10/46 A man is seen wearing a protective face mask at Waterloo station Reuters 11/46 A woman wears a surgical mask as she walks through Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport Reuters 12/46 A fan in the stands wears a mask during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridg PA 13/46 A man wearing a protective face mask walking down Oxford Street PA 14/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 15/46 A person wears a mask in a display of street style outside the BFC Show Space show in London PA 16/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 17/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 18/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 19/46 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 20/46 Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn 21/46 A commuter on the tube wearing a face mask Jeremy Selwyn 22/46 A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridge Getty Images 23/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 24/46 A man wearing a face mask walks past an entrance sign for Bank underground train station AP 25/46 The coronavirus outbreak will unlikely lead to a Tube ban PA 26/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 27/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 28/46 A woman wearing a face mask on the London Underground. PA 29/46 People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn 30/46 A pedestrian wears a face mask whilst walking along High Holborn PA 31/46 A pedestrian wears a face mask whilst walking along High Holborn PA 32/46 A man wears a mask as he takes a photograph in China Town AP 33/46 A man in a hazmat suit and face mask cleans the Ritchie Street Health Centre, Islington PA 34/46 A commuter at Euston wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 35/46 A commuter at Euston wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 36/46 A man arrives at Euston Underground wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 37/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 38/46 St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn 39/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 40/46 Jeremy Selwyn 41/46 Staff in suits at St Thomas's Hospital today Jeremy Selwyn 42/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 43/46 A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn 44/46 A man wears a face mask as he stands near an electronic arrivals board at Terminal 4 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images 45/46 A man wears a face mask as he walks along the Thames embankment AFP via Getty Images 46/46 A woman wearing a protective face mask is seen on London Bridg Reuters

Health officials had, as of yesterday, not identified the source of 10 cases of the infection.

“We are in the position now where we have got person-to-person transmission of this in the UK and therefore we can expect more cases... This is now outbreaks in the community where we have got some individuals that we don’t know where it has come from and therefore that tells you that something is circulating... we are definitely in that phase,” explained Sir Patrick.

Before and after aerials of public spaces affected by the Coronavirus 16 show all Before and after aerials of public spaces affected by the Coronavirus 1/16 A combination photo of handout satellite images shows a view of Mass on Palm Sunday in 2011 and 2020 via Reuters 2/16 A combination photo of handout satellite images shows a view of Mass on Palm Sunday in 2011 and 2020 via Reuters 3/16 A large crowd surrounding the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, before the coronavirus via Reuters 4/16 A smaller crowd surrounding the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque via Reuters 5/16 Tiananmen Square before the coronavirus in Beijin via Reuters 6/16 Tiananmen Square during the coronavirus in Beijin via Reuters 7/16 crowds at the Space Mountain ride in Tokyo Disneyland, before the coronavirus, near Tokyo via Reuters 8/16 An empty area at the Space Mountain ride in Tokyo Disneyland via Reuters 9/16 Milan Duomo before the coronavirus in Italy via Reuters 10/16 Milan Duomo during the coronavirus in Italy via Reuters 11/16 Wuhan airport before the coronavirus in China via Reuters 12/16 Wuhan airport during the coronavirus in China via Reuters 13/16 Hazrat Masumeh Shrine before the coronavirus, in Qom, Iran via Reuters 14/16 An empty Hazrat Masumeh Shrine during the coronavirus in Qom, Iran via Reuters 15/16 Tehran airport before the coronavirus in Iran via Reuters 16/16 Tehran airport during the coronavirus in Iran via Reuters 1/16 A combination photo of handout satellite images shows a view of Mass on Palm Sunday in 2011 and 2020 via Reuters 2/16 A combination photo of handout satellite images shows a view of Mass on Palm Sunday in 2011 and 2020 via Reuters 3/16 A large crowd surrounding the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, before the coronavirus via Reuters 4/16 A smaller crowd surrounding the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque via Reuters 5/16 Tiananmen Square before the coronavirus in Beijin via Reuters 6/16 Tiananmen Square during the coronavirus in Beijin via Reuters 7/16 crowds at the Space Mountain ride in Tokyo Disneyland, before the coronavirus, near Tokyo via Reuters 8/16 An empty area at the Space Mountain ride in Tokyo Disneyland via Reuters 9/16 Milan Duomo before the coronavirus in Italy via Reuters 10/16 Milan Duomo during the coronavirus in Italy via Reuters 11/16 Wuhan airport before the coronavirus in China via Reuters 12/16 Wuhan airport during the coronavirus in China via Reuters 13/16 Hazrat Masumeh Shrine before the coronavirus, in Qom, Iran via Reuters 14/16 An empty Hazrat Masumeh Shrine during the coronavirus in Qom, Iran via Reuters 15/16 Tehran airport before the coronavirus in Iran via Reuters 16/16 Tehran airport during the coronavirus in Iran via Reuters

The known outbreaks are understood to be small-scale at the moment, often transmission between families or close contacts.

Sir Patrick, who has decided not to shake people’s hands, said the Government was preparing to move from the “contain” phase to attempts to “delay” a major outbreak to the late spring or early summer, when the peak could be less acute as the virus may struggle to spread so quickly in warmer weather, the NHS is likely to be under less pressure, and it may be easier to pick up on cases as there will be less flu about.

He explained that an epidemic here could take 12 weeks to peak and then roughly the same period to dissipate, with 95 per cent of cases within a nine-week period, and about half of them in three weeks. The virus might be mutating, and it could be getting more infectious but less deadly.

Currently, it is believed to be about five to 10 times as fatal as flu, but its mortality rate was believed to be one per cent or less.

Given that the vast majority of people are expected to only suffer symptoms like bad flu or less severe, many of those infected will be told to self-isolate at home, as at least 45 people have done already. If they develop severe symptoms, or are in an at-risk group, they are likely to be hospitalised.

Health experts in the UK stepped up their appeal to citizens to wash their hands — the main public health message — but also to try to touch their face less often, and to self-isolate if they have returned from Covid-19 hotspot countries if they develop flu-like symptoms.

As more cases were announced in a swathe of countries this morning, World Health Organisation director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appealed to governments to dramatically step up action against the virus. “This is not a drill. This is not the time for giving up. This is not a time for excuses.”

South Korea reported 505 additional cases today, down from a high of 851 on Tuesday, taking its total to more than 6,500, with at least 42 deaths.

Germany announced 134 new cases, taking its total to 534, with more than half of the cases (281) in the western region of North Rhine-Westphalia.

More than 3,000 of the deaths worldwide have been in China, while the toll in Italy stood at 148. There are 85 countries outside China reporting infections, with South Africa, the Palestinian territories, and Bosnia reporting their first cases in the past 24 hours.

Mr Hancock sought to reassure the public following panic-buying in some areas. On BBC’s Question Time, he said: “The Government has supplies of the key things that are needed, and, within the food supply, we are absolutely confident that there won’t be a problem there. And, crucially, we are working to make sure that if people are self-isolating, they will be able to get the food and supplies that they need.”

He added: “The very, very strong advice from the scientists, from the medics, is that people should not go buying more than they need.”