LONDON (Reuters) – The number of deaths of Britons with coronavirus jumped by 14 in the last 24 hours to 35, while the number of people diagnosed rose by 20% to 1,372, health authorities said on Sunday.
The British government said earlier on Sunday it would step up its response to the crisis, including isolating older people “in the coming weeks”.
Britain has to date taken less stringent steps to slow the virus than elsewhere in Europe.
However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government would legislate this week to force people into quarantine if they are diagnosed with the virus, and was ready to ban mass gatherings
Britain reported its first confirmed coronavirus case on Jan. 31.
A total of 40,279 people have been tested in the country, the health ministry said on Sunday.
Reporting by Paul Sandle, Editing by Kate Holton and Alexander Smith