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UK sees biggest daily rise in coronavirus cases as numbers jump by 676 to 2,626

A visitor at Edinburgh Castle wears a protective face mask as the Government's top scientist warmed that up to 10,000 people in the UK are already infected.
The UK has seen its biggest daily rise in coronavirus cases, with 2,626 now confirmed to be infected. (PA Images)

There are now 2,626 confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK, up 676 from Tuesday.

The increase is the biggest rise in cases so far, surpassing yesterday’s total increase of 407.

The government has confirmed that 71 people have died in Britain. Newer mortality figures are set to be released later.

The news comes as the number of global confirmed coronavirus cases reached 200,000.

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Cases in the UK include a baby at a Norfolk hospital who tested positive for coronavirus.

The baby is one of three people who are already being treated in isolation at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.

Boris Johnson warned yesterday that more extreme measures could be taken to stop the spread of the virus.

The UK has so far held back from implementing measures seen in other European countries, where movements have been severely restricted.

Schools in Scotland and Wales will close this week, it has emerged.

All schools in Wales will close for an early Easter break by Friday at the latest, the Welsh Government announced.

Nicola Sturgeon said schools in Scotland have now lost too many staff to continue as normal.

A UK-wide announcement regarding school closures will come at 5pm on Wednesday, with Boris Johnson coming under increasing pressure to shut classrooms as part of efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

On Wednesday European Commission’s president Ursula von der Leyen said a vaccine could be on the market by autumn.

Speaking as the EU offered biotech company CureVac €80m (£72.8m) in financial backing, she said: “I hope that with this support, we can have a vaccine on the market, perhaps before autumn.”

Von der Leyen also said that medical trials could be fast-tracked to bring the vaccine on to the market as soon as possible.