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Coronavirus live: Major sports events suspended, borders closed, UK cases surge

13 March 2020, 05:46 | Updated: 13 March 2020, 20:23

Sporting fixtures have been cancelled as the UK recorded its biggest ever day-on-day of increases
Sporting fixtures have been cancelled as the UK recorded its biggest ever day-on-day of increases. Picture: PA

By Megan White

Major sporting fixtures have been cancelled, nations have closed their borders, and the UK has recorded its biggest day-on-day increase coronavirus cases as the world works to tackle the pandemic.

All professional English football matches have been postponed until April, while a number of Six Nations rugby fixtures have also been called off.

The English cricket team are due to fly home from Sri Lanka shortly after the Test series was cancelled.

Meanwhile, other countries have resorted to closing their borders to foreign travellers, including the Czech Republic and Ukraine.

The entire Romanian government is in self-isolation, while local media in Brazil has reported that its president Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive.

In the UK, the number of confirmed cases surged to 798 on Friday - up from 590 - in the biggest day-on-day increase since the outbreak began.

It came a day after the prime minister announced the government's response had moved from trying to contain the virus to trying delay the number of confirmed cases reaching its peak.

Follow all the developments from Friday in our live news feed.

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