Guidance

Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK

Find out the number of cases and risk level in the UK, what to do if you have symptoms, and what the government is doing about the virus.

Published 24 January 2020
Last updated 17 March 2020 — see all updates
From:
Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England

Go to NHS.UK/coronavirus for information about the virus and how to protect yourself.

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Video: How to wash your hands properly

What to do if you have symptoms

Stay at home for 7 days if you have either:

  • a high temperature
  • a new continuous cough

This will help to protect others in your community while you are infectious.

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

You do not need to contact NHS 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.

We will not be testing people who are self-isolating with mild symptoms.

COVID-19: stay at home guidance

Number of cases

As of 9am on 17 March 2020, 50,442 people have been tested in the UK, of which 48,492 were confirmed negative and 1,950 were confirmed as positive. The latest confirmed number of deaths will be announced later today.

Cases identified in England

Confirmed cases in each local authority and NHS region are published by Public Health England (PHE).

Risk level

The risk to the UK has been raised to high.

Recent government action

The government published its coronavirus action plan on 3 March.

On 10 February, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, announced strengthened legal powers to protect public health.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 have been put in place to reduce the risk of further human-to-human transmission in this country by keeping individuals in isolation where public health professionals believe there is a reasonable risk an individual may have the virus.

Diagnosis and analysis

The UK is one of the first countries outside China to have a prototype specific laboratory test for this new disease. Healthcare professionals who are contacted by a patient with symptoms following travel to an affected area have been advised to submit samples to PHE for testing. Individuals should be treated in isolation.

After the experience of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, PHE developed a series of diagnostic tests to detect any member of the family of coronaviruses. These have been used for several years, and were able to detect the first UK case of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012.

With the first reported publication of the genome sequence of a 2019 novel coronavirus, PHE was able to rapidly develop further specific tests for this virus, working with WHO and global network of laboratories.

When a clinician suspects novel coronavirus (COVID-19), they take samples from the nose, throat and deeper respiratory samples, package and send them safely to PHE Colindale. PHE can provide a laboratory result from this specific virus on the same working day.

PHE also has the capability to sequence the viral genome and compare this to published sequences from China, if a case occurs. This will provide valuable information on any mutations in the virus over time and allow an improved understanding of how it spreads.

Further information

Coronavirus (COVID-19): UK government response

Travel advice: coronavirus (COVID-19)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for health professionals and other organisations

Published 24 January 2020
Last updated 17 March 2020 + show all updates

  1. Updated figures.

  2. Updated test result figures.

  3. Update on case numbers, those who have tested positive and those who have sadly died.

  4. Updated numbers.

  5. Updated test result figures.

  6. The UK risk level has been raised to high.

  7. Added new guidance for people with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

  8. Updated test result figures.

  9. Update to figures.

  10. Updated figures.

  11. Updated Italy advice.

  12. Updated figures.

  13. "to be determined" figures corrected - from 22 to 20.

  14. Updated lockdown areas.

  15. Regions updated.

  16. updated figures.

  17. Now with regional breakdown

  18. Update on stats and switch to 7am to improve reporting. Regionalised data to be published later today

  19. Updated test result figures.

  20. Updated returning traveller advice for Italy.

  21. Added updated figures for test results, including number of cases in each NHS England region.

  22. Updated test result figures.

  23. Updated figures for tests

  24. Added updated figures on UK test results.

  25. Updated figures.

  26. Updated stats and also made clear from now on stats will be accurate as of 0900 that day for consistency and accuracy.

  27. Updated figures.

  28. Updated figures.

  29. Updated figures.

  30. Updated test result figures.

  31. Updated advice for returning travellers.

  32. Updated test result figures.

  33. Updated figures.

  34. Updated numbers.

  35. Update to test figures

  36. Updated test figures.

  37. Updated daily figures on test results.

  38. Updated daily figures on test results.

  39. Updated figures.

  40. Daily update to testing numbers.

  41. Updated figures.

  42. Updated test result figures.

  43. Updated test result figures.

  44. Updated figures.

  45. Updated figures for those tested in the UK.

  46. Updated figures for those tested in UK

  47. Updated statistics on coronavirus tests.

  48. Fourth case of coronavirus in England

  49. Updated test figures

  50. Updated figures for coronavirus checks and removal figures of passengers returned from Wuhan as all are outside the incubation period.

  51. Updated advice from the Chief Medical Officer.

  52. Updated figures

  53. Updated figures - no new cases

  54. Updated advice for travellers

  55. Added link to FCO travel advice for British nationals.

  56. Updated test figures – no further positive cases.

  57. Added Northern Ireland contact number for those who have returned from Wuhan or Hubei Province in the last 14 days, or from elsewhere in China and have developed symptoms.

  58. updated figures - no new cases

  59. Updated figures - no new cases.

  60. Updated test figures – no further positive cases.

  61. Added coronavirus public information video.

  62. Updated the advice for travellers from China.

  63. Updated test figures.

  64. Update regarding first confirmed cases of coronavirus in England.

  65. Addition of CMO statement

  66. Updated information on risk level

  67. Updated figures – no confirmed cases

  68. Updated figures - no confirmed cases.

  69. Updated figures - no confirmed cases

  70. Updated advice for travellers from Wuhan.

  71. Updated advice for travellers from Wuhan.

  72. Updated test figures - no confirmed cases

  73. Updated figures - no confirmed cases.

  74. Tests figure update - no confirmed cases.

  75. Updated advice

  76. First published.

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