The spread of coronavirus will "get worse before it gets better", Health Secretary Matt Hancock said today.
As of Tuesday afternoon, a total of 1,358 people have been tested for coronavirus, of which 1,350 were confirmed negative and eight positive.
But announcing greater powers and funding to help tackle the spread of the disease, Mr Hancock said there was still a struggle to come.
In a Commons statement, he told MPs: "Dealing with this disease is a marathon, not a sprint. The situation will get worse before it gets better."
Mr Hancock said the risk to the public "remains moderate" and the eight patients with confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK are receiving "expert care".
Tracing those who have been in contact with the first four cases is "now complete" and tracing those who have been in contact with the remaining four cases is ongoing, he told MPs.
On new powers to force people to remain in quarantine, he said: "The powers are proportionate and will help us slow down the transmission of the virus and make it easier for NHS and public healthstaff to do their jobs."
Mr Hancock also announced new capital funding for the NHS if they need to create "further isolation areas and other necessary facilities".
He said: "Today I can announce to the House the immediate launch of a capital facility to support any urgent works the NHS needs for the coronavirus response such as the creation of further isolation areas and other necessary facilities."
Responding, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "I understand why the Secretary of State has invoked the regulations that he's entitled to do under the Public Health Act.
"He has our support. Quarantine arrangements must be seen to be necessary, proportionate and in accordance with law."
"And enforcement of those arrangements including with powers of restraint where necessary must be fully transparent and the rights and freedoms of the quarantined evacuees must be fully understood, so as to ensure they are treated with dignity and respect.
"So we agree that a legislative framework for this is far preferable to ad hoc contracts that were the original basis for the quarantine and in order to maintain public confidence in these arrangements that framework must be understood and scrutinised by Parliament."
He asked what work Mr Hancock was doing to ensure local plans were robust and if he could guarantee they would be "fully resourced".
Mr Ashworth asked if Mr Hancock was confident NHS 111 had sufficient capacity to deal with any increased calls, if extra resources would be given for any home visits and if GPs had the necessary equipment and resources to cope with any affected patients and if they could apply for the capital facility.
