Four more patients test positive for coronavirus in England as emergency meeting called

All four patients had recently travelled to Italy, which is suffering the biggest outbreak in Europe. The patients are from Hertfordshire, Devon and Kent.

It brings the UK's total number of cases to 40 and the Prime Minister warned the spread of the virus is likely to become more significant across the UK at an emergency Cobra meeting.

Of 12 new cases which were announced on Sunday, three cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in West Yorkshire.

Two patients are from Leeds who became infected while travelling to Iran while the third case, a woman from Ilkley, picked up the virus from Italy.

England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said in a statement: "As of 9am this morning, four further patients in England have tested positive for Covid-19.

"All four patients had recently travelled from Italy. The patients are from Hertfordshire, Devon and Kent. All are being investigated and contact tracing has begun."

The Prime Minister warned earlier that more cases in the UK are likely as he urged people to wash their hands to the tune of Happy Birthday.

Speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting where ministers gathered to discuss a "battle plan" to be published on Tuesday, Boris Johnson said the spread of the coronavirus was "likely" to become "more significant" for the UK in the coming days.