Boris Johnson to chair emergency meeting after third coronavirus death in UK

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair an emergency meeting of senior ministers to discuss the country's response to the coronavirus crisis following the UK's third death linked to the illness.
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Public Health England confirmed on Sunday evening that a man in his 60s, with underlying health problems, died after testing positive for Covid-19.

The man, who had underlying health problems, died at North Manchester General Hospital having recently returned from Italy.

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On Friday, it was confirmed that an 83-year-old great-grandfather had become the second person to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus.

A third person has died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK. PA.A third person has died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK. PA.
A third person has died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK. PA.

The man, who also had underlying health conditions, died on Thursday while being treated at Milton Keynes University Hospital.

His family paid tribute to him as a "truly loving and wonderful person".

On Thursday evening, another patient, reported to be a woman in her 70s, became the first person in the UK to die after being diagnosed with Covid-19, while at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

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The confirmed cases of the virus in the UK has reached 278, after more than 23,500 people had been tested.

Mr Johnson will tell a meeting of the Government's Cobra committee on Monday that tackling the outbreak will require a "national and international effort".

"I am confident the British people are ready to play their part in that," he is expected to tell those in attendance.

The committee will assess whether the UK should officially move from the "contain" to the "delay" phase of the Government's battle plan to deal with coronavirus.

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Such a step would require agreement from chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, who are due to be at the meeting.

The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK rose to 278 on Sunday evening with the confirmation of five new cases in Northern Ireland.

British tourists were warned to avoid all but essential travel to a swathe of northern Italy under a coronavirus quarantine, including the popular destinations of Milan and Venice.

Travellers returning from lockdown areas in northern Italy were advised to self-isolate if they have returned to the UK in the last 14 days, even if have they no coronavirus symptoms.

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Around 16 million people in Italy, more than a quarter of the population, have been placed under lockdown as the country's government tries to halt the spread of Covid-19.

Italy has now recorded more cases of coronavirus than any country outside China, where the disease's outbreak originated, while its death toll has risen to 366.

Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte signed a quarantine decree early on Sunday covering the north of the country that places restrictions until April 3 on weddings, museums, cinemas, shopping centres and restaurants.

Italian airline Alitalia has suspended all national and international flights from Milan's Malpensa airport, starting on Monday.

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Budget airline easyJet said it was cancelling a number of flights to and from Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Venice and Verona airports on Monday.

It said it expected to reduce flights numbers in and out of these destinations up to April 3.