The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surged past 5,000 on Saturday with the total number of cases rising to more than 140,000.
As the infection continues, countries have been prompted to take unprecedented measures to help stave off a global health crisis.
Many countries across Europe, Asia and African continent have recorded new cases of the virus with UK recording 10 deaths in one day.
Countries are putting strict measures in place to contain the virus with Spanish media reporting that the country’s government will be announcing a countrywide lockdown while declaring a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections.
The US announced that it was extending the travel restrictions imposed on the European nations to Britain and Ireland.
US President Donald Trump said he had taken a coronavirus test, as the White House began protectively checking the temperature of anyone coming into close contact with him or vice president Mike Pence.
Appearing at a White House news conference where he attempted again to provide guidance and assurance to worried US citizens, Trump said he had yet to receive the results of his own test.
The total number of cases according to the records on World Health Organisation (WHO) website in the UK leapt from 820 on Saturday morning to 1,145 in the afternoon.
WHO, on Saturday said new cases have been discovered in Europe, describing the continent as the epicentre of the pandemic.
The dramatic rise in deaths comes as Boris Johnson made the decision to ban all mass gatherings and sports events from next weekend.
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said the ten who died ‘were in the at-risk groups’.
Twelve hours after the White House announced President Donald Trump wouldn’t be tested, Trump, however, confirmed that he was tested Friday night and was awaiting results.
The first UK death from coronavirus was announced on March 5, and Saturday’s announcement of 10 deaths is by far the largest number of deaths announced on a single day in the UK since the outbreak took hold.
Meanwhile, a newborn baby in England who has tested positive for coronavirus is likely to be one of the world’s youngest patients with the disease.
The infant and its mother both tested positive at a North London hospital and staff who had contact with the pair have been advised to self-isolate.
The mother was rushed to hospital days earlier with suspected pneumonia and she and her child are being treated at separate hospitals, The Sun reported.
As of the time of filing this report on Saturday, there were 142,538 confirmed cases globally and 5,391 reported deaths with China leading with 81021 cases followed by Italy 17,660.
As the UK death rate doubled, it also emerged that officials are talking to businesses about ways to help millions work from home.
The cranking up of the government’s response is also understood to hand police the powers to detain suspected virus victims ‘for a limited period’ if necessary to stop them spreading the infection.
Council care homes will also be given the legal wriggle room to scale back their services if staff shortages make it impossible to continue providing current levels of support for their elderly residents.
Boris Johnson’s U-turn last night came after he flatly refused on Thursday to replicate the stronger action being taken by other countries to curb big gatherings.
But he came under mounting criticism from health experts and politicians arguing that Britain was not doing enough to keep the public safe.