The UK’s Department of Health said more than 20,000 people had been tested for the coronavirus.
A daily update of figures on its website said: “As of 7am on 6 March 2020, 20,338 people have been tested in the UK, of which 20,175 were confirmed negative and 163 were confirmed as positive. One patient who tested positive for Covid-19 has died.”
It comes as Boris Johnson has pledged a further £46m for research into a coronavirus vaccine and rapid diagnostic tests.
The British Prime Minister announced the funding during a tour of a Bedfordshire laboratory, where British scientists are working on a quick and cheap way to diagnose coronavirus.
There is currently no vaccine available to protect people against Covid-19, but Mr Johnson said he hoped one will be ready in about a year.
England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has previously said the UK “will not have a vaccine available for the first wave” of a pandemic, but that it is still important to develop one for any future waves.
Today the government published the action plan for COVID-19. It outlines what we are doing now, and what we intend to do, to contain, delay, research and mitigate. We need to ensure our actions (including tradeoffs) and our timing are grounded on science. https://t.co/Ugz9PBQZwG
— Professor Chris Whitty (@CMO_England) March 3, 2020
Global human trials of eight possible vaccines could start later this year. But firms would then face the task of mass-producing and distributing them.
Public Health England (PHE) has developed methods of testing for coronavirus, but more rapid tests are needed as these currently rely on samples being sent to a lab.
Public Health England (PHE) is urging members of the public to “plan ahead” for if they had to self-isolate for a couple of weeks.
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