London is the epicentre in UK with hundreds infected with coronavirus

London is the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK as hundreds of people have tested positive for the virus.

The death rate is now in double figures and growing with more than 1,500 confirmed cases across the UK.

There are currently 407 cases of the virus across London NHS region, Kensington and Chelsea have 40 cases, Westminster has 35, Hertfordshire with 32, Southwark 30, Lambeth 26, Barnet 25, Oxfordshire 24, Surrey 23, Camden 22. Brent and Ealing both have 20 cases.

Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Monday, “Our priority must always be to look out for the older and more vulnerable people in our communities who may be most at risk.

“The advice remains that if you have symptoms of coronavirus, stay at home for seven days from when your symptoms started.

“And we must all continue to wash our hands thoroughly with soap and water throughout the day. This is the best way to protect your loved ones.”

The transport secretary, Grant told BBC Breakfast, “This is no doubt at all, there is no sugar-coating this. This is obviously an international crisis and we need a great national effort to help everybody in society get through this. But we will get through it.

“We will beat this virus, but there is no shortcut, unfortunately, to getting there.”

The UK is set to follow Italy, Spain, France and Ireland by closing restaurants, pubs and cafes, as the government has not ruled out a total shut down to combat coronavirus.

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show that the situation was not “bad enough in the UK to follow suit yet.”