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Coronavirus: PM says everyone should avoid non-essential travel Coronavirus: PM says everyone should avoid office, pubs and travelling
(32 minutes later)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said everyone in the UK should now avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to fight coronavirus. Boris Johnson has said people in the UK should avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus - as the country's death toll hit 53.
He said people should work from home where possible, as part of a range of stringent new measures. The prime minister 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.Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions should consider the advice "particularly important", he said.
All elderly and vulnerable people must also begin self-isolating within days. People in at-risk groups will be asked within days to stay home for 12 weeks.
The first person in Wales to die with Covid-19 brings the UK total to 36. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons the number of people to have died with the virus in the UK had risen to 53 from Sunday's total of 35 - and "the disease is now accelerating".
In the first of a series of daily briefings on the virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, Mr Johnson said "drastic action" was needed as the UK approaches "the fast growth part of the upward curve" in the number of cases.In the first of a series of daily briefings on the virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, Mr Johnson said "drastic action" was needed as the UK approaches "the fast growth part of the upward curve" in the number of cases.
Mr Johnson said that by next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks".Mr Johnson said that by next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks".
Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, said other measures may be necessary - including school closures - at some point.Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, said other measures may be necessary - including school closures - at some point.
"Those things need to be done at the right time," he said."Those things need to be done at the right time," he said.
The UK government's chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, said the chance of dying with the virus "for any individual person" was "very low". 'Fast upswing'
But he added that if one person in any household starts to display symptoms, everyone living there must stay at home for 14 days. 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.
He said social restrictions would be "very difficult for people to maintain" but they would be "doing it to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed". Sir Patrick said the UK is now "three weeks" behind Italy - the worst-hit country in Europe.
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.
Avoiding social contact
Prof Whitty said the group of people who should take "particular care to minimise their social contact" were:
"Those are the groups we want to take particular care to minimise their social contact which of course will have very significant risks for them."
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".