First coronavirus case in Barking and Dagenham confirmed

A person in Barking and Dagenham has been confirmed as testing positive for coronavirus.

They are the first in the borough to be diagnosed with having Covid-19, with cases having been confirmed in neighbouring Redbridge and Havering over the past couple of days.

As of 9am today (Tuesday, March 10) there have been 373 people in the country who have tested positive for Covid-19. Six have died.

This total means the UK has the fifth highest number of confirmed cases in Europe, according to the World Health Organisation, behind Italy, France, Germany and Spain.

Public Health England's advice is to wash your hands more often than usual and for 20 seconds using soap and hot water.

People are also advised to cover their mouths and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing, and to clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people.

Other measures being taken to combat the virus includes 'enhanced' cleaning on Transport for London's Tube and bus network, despite Public Health England stating there are no specific concerns about using public transport.