The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK has increased to 85 - up 34 in one day from yesterday's figure of 51.
It comes on the day the country's health chief said it was likely the disease would become an epidemic in the UK.
A total of 85 people in the UK have now been diagnosed with coronavirus, the Department of Health said.
Italy today announced it would close all schools and universities until the middle of March, and Boris Johnson announced sick pay will be available from the first day off as up to a fifth of the workforce is expected to be off at any one time with Covid-19.
The figures represent the biggest day-on-day increase.
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said: “As of 9am this morning 32 further patients in England have tested positive for Covid-19.
“Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed who had recently travelled from recognised countries or from recognised clusters which were under investigation.
“Three additional patients contracted the virus in the UK and it is not yet clear whether they contracted it directly or indirectly from an individual who had recently returned from abroad. This is being investigated and contact tracing has begun.
“The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 80. Following previously reported confirmed cases in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, the total number of UK cases is 85.”
