UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the Covid-19 pandemic is "the worst public health crisis for a generation" and warned Britain that the worst of the crisis is still weeks away.

Johnson was speaking after an emergency COBRA meeting on the crisis.

"I have to level with you, more families, many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time," the UK PM said, adding that the "most dangerous period is still some weeks away."

Boris Johnson says the U.K. is facing its "worst public health crisis for a generation," warning the true number of coronavirus cases is "much higher" than official figures suggesthttps://t.co/EdQMGsSZVPpic.twitter.com/lpylRVYO48 — Bloomberg Brexit (@Brexit) March 12, 2020

Johnson also said the UK would move from the "containment" phase into the "delay" phase of the crisis.

He said the UK has done "what can be done" to contain the virus and has bought valuable time. Johnson warned that it was "not right" to compare Covid-19 to the flu and said the number of cases would likely soon "rise sharply."

"Owing to the lack of immunity, this disease is more dangerous," he said.

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Still, Johnson said he was not prepared to close schools as many other European countries have done. That "may change as the disease spreads," he said, but for now schools should only close "if they are specifically advised to do so."

Meanwhile, the UK's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty urged people with mild symptoms not to seek medical advice and said that the travel histories of suspected coronavirus patients are no longer considered relevant.

NEW: UK Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty urges UK subjects with mild symptoms NOT to seek medical advice.UK does not see need to monitor every case.Travel histories of patients suspected of having coronavirus are no longer to be considered relevant.#coronavirus — Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) March 12, 2020

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