UK coronavirus cases jump to 456 as Chancellor announces £30bn crisis package
A total of 456 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Wednesday, up from 373 at the same point on Tuesday.
The Department of Health confirmed 32 patients have tested positive for coronavirus in the North East and Yorkshire, with a regional breakdown expected to be published later this afternoon.
It comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £30 billion package to stimulate the economy in the face of the coronavirus crisis, as growth forecasts were slashed and the Bank of England announced an emergency cut in interest rates.
In a Budget which was hastily rewritten in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, Mr Sunak acknowledged the "challenging times" faced by the economy.
After less than a month in office, Mr Sunak delivered a Budget statement which acknowledged the British people were worried about the threat posed by the virus "but they are not daunted".
Mr Sunak said there was "likely to be a temporary disruption" to the economy but insisted his plans would bring "stability and security".
The scale of the challenge facing the economy was underlined by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in forecasts prepared before the full impact of the virus could be known.
Growth is expected to fall to 1.1% in 2020, down from 1.2% last year.
The 2020 forecast is dramatically lower than the OBR's previous estimate of 1.4% and marks the weakest expansion since the 2009 recession.
In response to the virus, Mr Sunak turned on the spending taps, with funding for public services, citizens and businesses which are set to suffer as the outbreak becomes more widespread and restrictions on activities are imposed.
Mr Sunak said: "Taken together, the extraordinary measures I have set out today represent £7 billion to support the self-employed, businesses and vulnerable people.
"To support the NHS and other public services, I am also setting aside a £5 billion emergency response fund - and will go further if necessary."
Other plans represented another £18 billion of "additional fiscal loosening" and "that means I am announcing today, in total, a £30 billion fiscal stimulus to support British people, British jobs and British businesses through this moment".