Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that large gatherings could be banned, schools closed and people advised to stop using public transport if the killer virus cannot be contained. His comments came as the number of UK cases jumped to 36 yesterday, with 13 more people testing positive. Three are members of the same family related to a man diagnosed on Friday in Surrey. 

He had not recently travelled abroad and the source of his infection last night remained a mystery. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today chair a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee to discuss, finalise and sign off a detailed battle plan to keep the country safe. He will tell the meeting: “The number of coronavirus cases around the world is rising every day — and the UK is no exception. There now seems little doubt that it will present a significant challenge for our country, but we are well prepared. 

“The Government and the NHS will stop at nothing to fight this virus. This battle plan lays out in detail the measures we could use — if and when they are needed.” 

Mr Hancock said the Government was prepared to take “significant measures” if the outbreak worsens. 

Asked whether Britain may follow China’s lead by restricting travel in and out of infected areas, he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “There is clearly a huge economic and social downside to that. 

“But we don’t take anything off the table because you must make sure you have all the tools available if that is what is necessary.” 

A cross-Whitehall war room is being set up and the four-part battle plan will be published this week. 

Britain is currently in the “containment” phase but the plans outline action for phases to “delay” and “mitigate” if the situation deteriorates. A fourth research phase is ongoing. Mr Hancock claimed “the finest minds on the planet” are at work and he is hopeful the UK can contain the virus. 

But in the worst-case scenario, he admitted that “we would have to take some quite significant actions that would have social and economic disruption”. 

These could include so-called “population distancing” measures, such as banning gatherings, cancelling football matches or concerts and closing schools. 

Other steps could see doctors and nurses brought out of retirement and operations cancelled if the health service is overwhelmed. 

New powers due to be introduced this week could also lead to laws relaxed to allow teachers to supervise more children. 

Mr Hancock added: “There are more enabling powers to help public services to continue to operate effectively. If they were taken, they would be temporary and they are essentially about how to deal with a large-scale problem.” 

Mr Johnson, at Public Health England’s Colindale laboratory in north London where testing has been taking place, said questions would be asked about big public events – but he stressed he did not want children sent home from school unnecessarily. 

He added: “We have a great plan to tackle the spread of coronavirus and I’m confident that, in the NHS, we have professionals who are able to cope with it. 

“The crucial thing for the public to understand is coronavirus is of concern, it is a novel illness, but it is something this country really has the resources to deal with. We have state-of-the-art testing facilities, we have a fantastic NHS. Believe me, we are going to beat it.” 

Work has begun to trace anyone who came into contact with the latest 13 victims – the biggest jump in cases the UK has suffered in a single day. 

Professor Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, said 12 were in England while Scotland recorded its first case, with the infection being found in a resident of the Tayside region, who had recently travelled from Italy. 

Apart from the three related to the man in Surrey who tested positive on Friday, one patient is a resident in Essex and had also not travelled from an infected area. 

The remaining eight had recently returned from abroad, six from Italy and two from Iran. 

Prof Whitty said these patients came from London, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Hertford-shire and Gloucestershire. 

The deadly virus has now killed some 3,000 people worldwide and has infected almost 90,000. 

The World Health Organisation has urged the over-60s and those with underlying health conditions to steer clear of supermarkets and to stop using public transport in order to try to minimise their risk of infection. 

WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that anyone who has symptoms should stay home, eat and sleep away from family and use separate utensils and cutlery. 

WHO spokeswoman Dr Margaret Harris claimed older people should stay off public transport and order goods remotely rather than going to shops and supermarkets. 

Mr Hancock agreed that older people and those with underlying conditions were the most vulnerable but he insisted it was not yet necessary for older people to stay at home. 

He urged Britons to “go about their ordinary business” and he added: “If we get to the position where this is endemic around the world and large scale here, we will change the advice according to what scientists say.” 

Dr Susan Hopkins, of Public Health England, agreed WHO’s comment was overly cautious for the UK. She said: “This is sensible for these groups in countries that are seeing rapid rises in cases – but in the UK, we do not currently have evidence of sustained and widespread transmission within the community.” 

Children are being encouraged to sing “happy birthday” while washing their hands, to help them measure the 20 seconds needed for a thorough clean. 

Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said: “The recent sharp increase in the number of reported cases in the UK is a reminder, if any were needed, that we are moving into the next stage of the epidemic. 

“Although it may still be possible to prevent a community-wide epidemic, this is looking increasingly unlikely – and we should be prepared to cope with a more widespread epidemic on our shores.” 

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