New case of coronavirus in York as cases in UK jump to 87

Three of the 32 new cases recorded in England were passed on in the UK, raising fears that community transmission may now be taking hold.

Councillor Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said the infected person had recently returned from northern Italy.

He added: "The individual has followed all necessary health advice, so there is a low risk of the virus being transferred.

"Any close contacts are being followed up by Public Health England.”

“We continue to be in close contact with partners across York and North Yorkshire, including health agencies, to receive specialist advice so that the City of York and North Yorkshire remain a safe place to live, work and visit.”

"We are confident that all the relevant services in the city and county are well-equipped and ready to respond. The safety of residents is a priority for both the Council and Public Health England.”

The jump in cases comes as England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, warned that a UK epidemic is looking "likely".

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister announced new sick pay changes as part of emergency coronavirus legislation so that anyone self-isolating is paid from day one rather than day four as current rules state.

Boris Johnson told MPs that people who self-isolate are "helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus".

He added: "If they stay at home and if we ask people to self-isolate, they may lose out financially.

"So, I can today announce that the Health Secretary will bring forward, as part of our emergency coronavirus legislation, measures to allow the payment of statutory sick pay from the very first day you are sick instead of four days under the current rules, and I think that's the right way forward.

"Nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing."

Prof Whitty said the new cases in the UK included 32 patients from England.

"Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed who had recently travelled from recognised countries or from recognised clusters which were under investigation," he said.

"Three additional patients contracted the virus in the UK and it is not yet clear whether they contracted it directly or indirectly from an individual who had recently returned from abroad. This is being investigated and contact tracing has begun."

The Department of Health has been updating the UK figures daily, with one Northern Ireland case among the 85 recorded at 2pm on Wednesday.

However, Northern Ireland later confirmed two more cases, taking the UK total to 87.

Of new cases announced by regional bodies on Wednesday, two people are from Carlisle and both had recently returned from a trip to northern Italy.

One is a member of healthcare staff at the Cumberland Infirmary.

Another patient who was admitted to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester has also tested positive for Covid-19.

Lancashire County Council said two cases of coronavirus had been confirmed in South Ribble.

The two people had recently travelled to Italy and were isolating themselves at home, a council spokesman said.

Meanwhile, students at Goldsmiths in south London have been informed that a visitor to one of the university's halls of residences had tested positive for the virus.

Three cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Trafford, one in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and a spokesman for Liverpool City Council confirmed one case in Liverpool.

Buckingham University and the University of London said they had delayed their graduation ceremonies to minimise the spread of the disease.

And Britons who have returned from the Costa Adeje Hotel in Tenerife since Monday have been advised to self-isolate after a case of coronavirus was diagnosed at the hotel on March 2.