BBC Coronavirus: WHO official pleads Britons amid outbreak - 'Stay away from each other'

Coronavirus cases across the UK have jumped to 278 since Saturday, prompting Prime Minister Boris Johnson to call an emergency COBRA meeting on Monday to discuss upgrading the Government's COVID-19 battle plan. World Health Organisation (WHO) special envoy Dr David Nabarro warned the UK should move its focus from its containment phase to delaying spread by rolling out measures to keep "people stay further away from each other" to slow down the virus. Speaking to the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Dr Nabarro said: "The issue here is to try to make sure that as few people as possible get impossible and those who get infected get appropriately looked after in the community or in hospital.

"In order to do that, it’s really important to take the heat out of transmission and that does mean helping people to stay further away from each other and reduce them getting infected."

The WHO special envoy suggested cases across Italy, the European country with the highest number of coronavirus cases recorded, showed community transmission is helping the virus take hold in some countries.

He continued: "As we look at the way in which this epidemic is evolving around the world, it’s clearly taking hold in some countries with what we describe community transmission, that’s transmission between people in local areas.

"I would imagine in the UK the thinking is as follows - the outbreak is here, people are getting sick and, unfortunately, some are dying. We have to now continue to try to contain it but at the same time recognise it is advancing and we must now move on to delay.

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"Delay means limiting the spread, limiting the intensity of the outbreak, limiting the consequences for individuals and for society."

Italy has seen new infection and death rates soar over the weekend, forcing the Government into taking drastic action to try and contain the virus.

The whole of Lombardy, including its financial capital of Milan, and 14 provinces across the worst-affected northern regions, have been shut down until 3 April.

Anyone trying to break the quarantine will face fines and up to three months in prison.

However, exemptions will be made for people who need to leave the affected areas for emergency reasons.

Cases of COVID-19 across the UK have reached 278 in the past week after more the 23,500 people were tested for the virus.

Of those infected, 18 people have recovered while the remaining 250 remain under strict monitoring.

Three people have died because of the coronavirus, all elderly patients with pre-existing conditions.

London remains the area with the most recorded cases, with 51 patients testing positive to the coronavirus test. The southeast of England follows with 41 patients.

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There is currently no treatment for this new coronavirus.

A report from Harvard University read: “Treatment is supportive, which means giving fluids, medicine to reduce fever, and, in severe cases, supplemental oxygen.

“People who become critically ill from COVID-19 may need a respirator to help them breathe."

“Bacterial infection can complicate this viral infection. Patients may require antibiotics in cases of bacterial pneumonia as well as COVID-19.

“Antiviral treatments used for HIV and other compounds are being investigated.

“There’s no evidence that supplements, such as vitamin C, or probiotics will help speed recovery.”