UK has almost 2,000 confirmed coronavirus cases with 71 dead

The total number of coronavirus cases has soared to 1,950 across the UK, up by 407 in 24 hours. The number of deaths has risen to 71 across the UK, up by 14.

The patients in England were aged between 93 and 45-years old, all had underlying health conditions.

A new document published by the Covid-19 team at London’s Imperial College, warns the current public health threat is the “most serious” respiratory virus since the Spanish Flu in 1918.

Imperial College are advising the UK starts the strategy of “epidemic suppression” for possibly up to 18 months or more, instead of “mitigation.”

The Covid-19 team said suppression of the coronavirus outbreak as “the only viable strategy at the current time.”

Even if the “social and economic effects of the measures which are needed to achieve this policy goal will be profound.”

The Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab has warned Britons on Tuesday, to “avoid all non-essential foreign travel for 30 days,” as the coronavirus pandemic grows.

Speaking in the House of Commons Raab told MPs the “fast-changing international circumstances” of the pandemic requires the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to change travel advice.

He said, “UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lockdowns in various countries.”

The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson told reporters at a press conference in Downing Street on Monday that “now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact and to stop all non-essential travel”

As part of a range of stringent new measures, Johnson has now urged people to work from home and avoid pubs, clubs and theatres.

Johnson said elderly and vulnerable people would have to begin self-isolating for “around 12 weeks” from the weekend.

Now is the time to stop non-essential contact with others, he said, and it’s particularly important for over 70s, pregnant women, and those with medical conditions, including those with high blood pressure.

The prime minister said, “When it comes to curfews we are keeping all measures under review.”

Anyone who lives with someone who has a cough or a temperature should stay at home for 14 days.

England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said, “The coronavirus will accelerate up the curve quite rapidly.

“This will go on for some time. It won’t be a couple of weeks. A prolonged period. The chances of dying are very low.”

World Health Organisation chief (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference from Geneva, “We have not seen an urgent enough escalation in testing.”

He urges countries to “test, test, test.”

People across the UK are being refused the coronavirus test despite the World Health Organization (WHO) advising the UK health officials to do so, therefor the true number of coronavirus cases are unknwon.

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