Coronavirus: UK COVID-19 cases rise to 1,543 – up by 171 in 24 hours

The number of UK coronavirus cases has risen to 1,543 – up by 171 in 24 hours.

The latest figure for deaths stands at 35 – though an update is expected this afternoon.

A patient in their sixties with underlying health conditions in Wales is the latest person in the UK to have died from the virus, and the first in Wales.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is chairing an emergency meeting of COBRA before holding the first of what will be daily TV news conferences to update the public on COVID-19 – the prevalent strain of coronavirus.

The UK is thought to be moving towards the banning of mass gatherings and asking the elderly to self-isolate.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a 30-day ban on non-essential foreign travel to the EU. The proposal will be discussed with member states tomorrow.

An official earlier said: “Ireland and Britain are encouraged to align.”

In other coronavirus developments:

• Globally more than 169,000 are infected and over 6,500 have died
• Virgin Atlantic asks staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave as it parks up 85% of planes
• EasyJet to ground majority of its fleet on a rolling basis
• IAG, British Airway’s parent company, will cut flights by at least 75% in April and May
• British granddad died ‘after contracting virus from skier in restaurant’
• Italy records 368 more deaths from the coronavirus outbreak on Sunday, its biggest one day rise
• France is preparing to put the country under partial lockdown to combat the pandemic
• FTSE 100 fell by 8.7% on opening, settling to 7.2% with a loss of about £95bn on Monday
• A British man in Vietnam is seriously ill with COVID-19 and is on a ventilator
• The free TV licence for over-75s will end of 1 August instead of 1 June because of the outbreak

A Public Health England briefing seen by Sky News claims the coronavirus could see up to 7.9 million people requiring hospital treatment in the UK over the next 12 months.

The document also confirms that healthcare workers who have symptoms of COVID-19 would not necessarily be tested.

Chief medical officer Chris Witty has previously said up to 80% of the population could catch the virus in a worst-case scenario.

On Sunday, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the elderly could be asked to self-isolate for up to four months.

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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Monday that people over the age of 70 will be asked to self-isolate “as and when the moment is right” – but that they would still be able to go outside and “walk the dog”.

He said: “We will ask people to do that as and when the moment is right.”

Those who refuse to self-isolate or fail to comply with restrictions could face a fine of up to £1,000.

Mr Hancock also called on businesses to step up production of vital medical equipment including ventilators.

Mr Johnson will confirm today if the government will purchase any ventilators that are produced by companies in the coming weeks.

However, intensive care doctors say that any new equipment will need to be appropriate for those using it and signed off by the healthcare regulator.

The prime minister will look at using hotels as emergency hospitals as the NHS struggles to cope with increased demand.

Ventilators are used to keep people with coronavirus alive if they have lung complications after contracting the virus.

Mr Hancock said there had been an enthusiastic response to the prime minister’s call for ventilator production.

“We’ve got high quality engineering in this country and we want anybody who has the manufacturing capability to turn to a manufacturer of ventilators to do that,” he said.

British engineering company Rolls Royce, which makes jet engines for the biggest Boeing and Airbus planes, said it was prepared to help the government tackle the coronavirus crisis in any way it could.

“We understand that the government is exploring ways in which businesses can help deal with the outbreak of COVID-19,” a spokesman said.

“We are keen to do whatever we can to help the government and the country at this time and will look to provide any practical help we can.”

JCB, the construction equipment manufacturer, also said it could help by utilising its equipment for different uses.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is due to meet school leaders to discuss the implications of closing schools and postponing exams.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: UK COVID-19 cases rise to 1,543 – up by 171 in 24 hours