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The PM has said everyone in the UK should avoid “non-essential” travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus – as the country’s death toll hit 55.
Boris Johnson said people should work from home where possible as part of a range of stringent new measures.
Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions should consider the advice “particularly important”, he said.
People in at-risk groups will be asked within days to stay home for 12 weeks.
More than 1,500 people have tested positive for the virus in the UK – but the actual number of cases is estimated to be between 35,000 and 50,000.
In the first of a series of daily briefings on the virus, the prime minister – alongside the government’s chief scientific and medical advisers – said the key new measures are as follows:
- Everyone should avoid gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres
- Everyone should work from home if they can
- All “unnecessary” visits to friends and relatives in care homes should cease
- By next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be “largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks”
- The UK is now “three weeks” behind Italy – the worst-hit country in Europe
- If one person in any household has a persistent cough or fever, everyone living there must stay at home for 14 days
- Those people should, if possible, avoid leaving the house “even to buy food or essentials” – but they may leave the house “for exercise and, in that case, at a safe distance from others”
- Schools will not be closed for the moment
Chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty said the group of people who should take “particular care to minimise their social contact” were:
- People over the age of 70
- Other adults who would normally be advised to have the flu vaccine (such as those with chronic diseases)
- Pregnant women
Mr Johnson said “drastic action” was needed as the UK approaches “the fast growth part of the upward curve” in the number of cases.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons the number of people to have died with the virus in England had risen to 53 – and “the disease is now accelerating”.
The first death in Wales, and a death in Scotland, brings the total number of deaths in the UK to 55.
“We are in a war against an invisible killer,” Mr Hancock said, adding that emergency legislation to tackle the virus would be introduced to Parliament on Thursday.
Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said further measures such as closing schools may be necessary at some point.
“Those things need to be done at the right time,” he said.
‘Fast upswing’ in cases
The total number of people in the UK to test positive for the virus has risen by 171 in a day to a total of 1,543, according to the latest Department of Health figures. The latest cases include 30 more from Wales and 18 in Scotland.
Sir Patrick said the UK is now “three weeks” behind Italy.
Italy, the worst-affected nation outside China – where the virus originated – has more than 20,000 cases and has suffered more than 1,800 deaths.
He added: “It looks like we’re on the fast upswing or just about to get there and that’s the reason to want to get in quite quickly with these measures.”
However, the UK government’s chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, added that the chance of dying with the virus “for any individual person” was “very low”.
Most of those who have died in the UK have been people over the age of 60 with underlying health conditions.
Whole households to stay at home
Prof Whitty said if one person in any household starts to display symptoms, everyone living there must stay at home for 14 days.
Mr Johnson said the 14-day stay at home advice means people should, if possible, avoid leaving the house “even to buy food or essentials”.
He said people could leave home to do exercise but should do so at a safe distance from others.
Prof Whitty said social restrictions would be “very difficult for people to maintain” but they would be “doing it to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed”.
Why are they pressing the ‘nuclear button’ now?
This marks a significant shift from the position last week.
It was envisaged any further ramping up of the measures would be some time away.
But ministers have pressed the nuclear button now.
What’s more, they have taken extra steps beyond what was floated previously by asking everyone to reduce their social contact – whether it’s working from home or avoiding pubs and theatres.
Why? Some believe the criticism of their strategy – just this afternoon the World Health Organization called for stronger measures than the UK was taking – has spooked them.
But officials also believe we are on the “cusp” of a major upswing – and there is genuine concern about the impact on the NHS.
In France health officials have warned hospitals are beginning to struggle. This comes after Italy’s well-documented struggles.
The NHS will now be stepping up its emergency plans, including cancelling routine work.
Further testing
More than 44,000 people in the UK have been tested for the virus.
People self-isolating with mild symptoms are no longer being tested – the government has said tests are primarily being given to hospital patients with respiratory problems, and to people in residential or care facilities experiencing outbreaks.
But on Monday the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said not enough tests were being carried out.
“We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test,” he said – adding that the WHO has sent out almost 1.5 million tests to 120 countries.
Prof Whitty defended the UK’s testing regime but said: “We do intend to continue to scale up testing.”
He said tests only reveal whether or not people are currently sick – and that a test to show whether or not people had previously had the virus would be “transformational”.
Public Health England (PHE) was “very rapidly” developing such a test, he added.
What’s happening elsewhere?
In other developments:
- The prime minister said the economy would take a short-term hit from the pandemic, but should come “roaring back” as the disease declines
- Global stock markets sank again despite central banks around the world announcing a co-ordinated effort to ease the effects of the virus
- A virus-hit cruise ship stranded in the Bahamas has set sail for Cuba, where 667 British passengers will be flown back to the UK
- Travel restrictions and a slump in demand due to the virus have forced airlines to cancel most flights and temporarily reduce staff
- Germany has become the latest European country to close its borders as the continent tries to stem the spread of the virus
- And actor Idris Elba confirmed on Twitter he had tested posted for the virus
