Coronavirus round-up as Boris Johnson keeps schools open

The prime minister held a Cobra meeting yesterday and confirmed at a press conference schools would not be closed, claiming this could do more harm than good.

Johnson also urged people with symptoms to use the internet for advice rather than calling 111 and said the government will do “all we can” to help people through the crisis.

Chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, said there are more than 20 patients in intensive care units and added that between 5,000 and 10,000 people could have coronavirus in the UK.

Chris Whitty, chief medical officer, advised people even with mild symptoms to stay at home for a week.

He also said the COVID-19 risk rating has raised to high, but it is not the right time to put social distancing around people who are older and those with severe medical health conditions.

Yesterday, the Department of Health and Social Care announced there were now 590 cases in the UK, a jump of 134.

However, cases in Dorset remained at three and the total in the south west is 42.

In an Oval Office address, president Donal Trump announced all travel between the US and Europe, excluding the UK, would be suspended for 30 days.

Mr Trump blamed the European Union for not acting quickly enough to address the outbreak, stating that US clusters were “seeded” by European travellers.

A tiny cinema in Bournemouth closed “for the foreseeable future” due to concerns over coronavirus.

Paul Whitehouse, owner of the Bournemouth Colosseum in Westbourne, said all scheduled films and supper club nights were cancelled.

He said: “We have a large number of elderly regulars who come along and we need them to stay alive! We feel that the possibility of someone picking the virus up in a small cinema room is too great a risk for our customers and staff and it’s not worth the risk. Our film listings will restart when things have improved and it’s safe again to go out.