Another twelve people have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 35.

Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said three of the new patients were close contacts of a known case in the UK.

However, it is still not known how one new patient in Essex contracted the deadly virus. A further six of the new cases had recently travelled from Italy, while the remaining two came from Iran.

It comes after a staff member at an infant school in Reading tested positive for coronavirus, while the government announced an emergency battle plan to react to any further outbreak.

Every department will have a ministerial lead to oversee the response to coronavirus while an enhanced public information campaign is due to be rolled out in the coming week.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the UK is currently in the ‘containment’ phase of the outbreak.

The Department of Health and Social Care said a ‘war room’ will be established in the Cabinet Office, featuring a cross-Whitehall team of communications experts.

In a statement, Professor Whitty said: ‘The patients who have recently travelled are from London, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire. All are being investigated and contact tracing has begun.’

He added: ‘The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 33. Following previously reported confirmed cases in Northern Ireland and Wales, the total number of UK cases is 35.’

A new government campaign will be unveiled featuring posters and social media adverts to reinforce the importance of hand-washing for 20 seconds or more with water and soap in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

It comes as the Prime Minister prepares to chair the Government’s Cobra contingencies committee on the coronavirus outbreak on Monday.

Boris Johnson said that the virus ‘may very well be a challenge’ in the coming weeks, adding: ‘But I have no doubt that with the help of the NHS and its incomparable staff this country will get through it – and beat it.’

Should the spread of coronavirus escalate into a pandemic, ‘broader measures’ will be considered to keep the public safe and ensure the NHS can handle the added strain.

Plans include emergency registration of health professionals who have retired, as well as relaxing rules around school class sizes in case teachers are off ill or forced to self-isolate.

Ministers are also considering whether to recommend more employees work from home and discourage ‘unnecessary travel’.

The so-called ‘social distancing’ approach is part of a strategy designed to delay the peak of the outbreak until later in the year.

This would potentially help to combat the virus, as it will spread less easily in warmer conditions.

The plan, due to be issued across all four nations of the UK, is based on the Government’s existing contingency plans for responding to a pandemic flu outbreak, but adapted for Covid-19.

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