The world has lost its battle to stop coronavirus, a leading health official has said, as the UK suffered its largest surge in cases in a single day.
Infectious disease expert Professor Neil Ferguson conceded: “You can see from the statistics, the number of countries affected, that that battle is really over," as the country saw its biggest spike in cases from 51 to 87.
His comments came as Boris Johnson announced that statutory sick pay will be available from the first day of illness under emergency legislation, as the risk of an epidemic grows increasingly likely.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has warned of a global shortage of protective equipment to fight the deadly Covid-19 virus, and Italy is set to shut all schools across the country from tomorrow, as it grapples with more than 3,000 confirmed cases.
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