Funerals could be streamed online if the coronavirus outbreak becomes a pandemic.

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) told Sky News that should a pandemic be declared because of COVID-19 - the disease caused by coronavirus - services could be done over the internet.

In a statement, it said it was in "dialogue with the government and local authorities to seek early guidance on steps funeral directors may need to take in the event of a pandemic."

Image: A pandemic is defined as the worldwide spread of a new disease

NAFD added that the steps it would take would be "determined by the severity of the outbreak" - and whether funerals would need to be "adapted in the event of a ban on public gatherings and other changes".

"As well as supporting the government and local authorities in managing the impact of the additional deaths, funeral directors would be focused on helping families who lose a loved one during that time in finding meaningful ways to say goodbye - even if the funeral they would have preferred isn't possible.


"One option might include the webcasting of funeral services, as many crematoria now have these facilities - or holding a separate memorial service at a later date."

The Department of Health and Social Care has told Sky News: "Our action plan sets out measures to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak that are reasonable, proportionate and based on the latest scientific evidence.

"They will be continually kept under review and the impact of all measures will be carefully considered."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) website, a pandemic is defined as the worldwide spread of a new disease, and it can also refer to a disease which is prevalent over a whole country.

It says it will not declare one as it no longer uses this as an official term with new virus outbreaks - but COVID-19 remains an international emergency.

A WHO spokeswoman said: "We could start describing it as a pandemic, but at the moment we are saying it is clusters and outbreaks in some countries."

There are more than 95,700 confirmed and suspected cases globally, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the outbreak. There have been more than 3,280 deaths.

Some 116 cases have now been confirmed in the UK and one person has died.

How to contain a global pandemic

Britain is moving into the next stage of its response to COVID-19, England's chief medical officer told MPs on Thursday.

Professor Chris Whitty said the UK was "mainly" in the "delay" phase of the government's four-stage approach to the disease.

contain the virus

the virus delay its transmission

its transmission research its origins

its origins mitigate its impact

As time goes by, there would be measures that involved "changes to society", added Prof Whitty.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson stressed the "overwhelming majority of people" who are infected with coronavirus would suffer only a "mild to moderate illness".

"We are still at the stage where the single best thing we can do... is just wash our hands," he told ITV's This Morning.

Virus Outbreak: Global Emergency - Watch a special Sky News programme on coronavirus at 6pm weekdays