Following an emergency Cobra meeting, it has been decided that the UK will remain in the “containment” phase of the government’s four-point plan to curb the coronavirus outbreak for the time being.
The news comes after a fourth person in the UK was confirmed dead as a result of the disease.
As of 09:00 GMT on Monday morning, the number of confirmed UK coronavirus cases was at 319, but the government will not trigger further steps to delay the virus’ spread at this stage.
The government and retailers have also warned individuals against unnecessary stockpiling, with the sale of some products now being restricted by supermarkets.
A statement from Number Ten outlined that prime minister Boris Johnson will be “guided by the best scientific advice”, while conceding that the virus will inevitably “spread in a significant way”.
The government has not seen fit to cancel well-attended events such as sports fixtures at this point in time, despite England’s Six Nations rugby fixture with Italy being called off, which was scheduled to be hosted in Rome.
The Republic of Ireland's planned Six Nations match against France in Paris has also been postponed.
Wales’ Six Nations clash against Scotland in Cardiff will go ahead as planned, although a further seven coronavirus cases were confirmed across both countries on Monday: two in Wales and five in Scotland, respectively.
The FTSE 100 is also suffering from shockwaves as a result of the outbreak, after its value fell by eight per cent, its worst single day performance since the 2008 global financial crisis.
