Coronavirus latest: Brits returning from virus hotbed in northern Italy told to self-isolate

Brits returning from northern Italy quarantined by the country's government over the coronavirus have been told to self-isolate.

New advice published by the Chief Medical Officer on Tuesday said that anyone returning from the locked down areas of Italy should quarantine themselves regardless of whether they feel ill.

Anyone who has travelled north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini and shows the symptoms Covid-19 has been told to self-isolate as well.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Hancock said: "Yes, the official advice which will be formally updated at eight o’clock this morning is going to change so that those who have been to northern Italy – north of Pisa – if they have flu-like symptoms should self-isolate.

“If people have been to the affected areas that the Italian government have quarantined then they should self-isolate whether or not they have symptoms.”

The Chief Medical Officer added that anyone returning from Iran should self-isolate, as should anyone returning from a "special care zone" in South Korea.

Anyone who has been to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar and has the symptoms of Covid-19 should also self-isolate.

Italy has seen a surge in cases in recent days.

On Friday the number of cases there was in single figures.

Now there are at least 229 confirmed diagnoses with seven deaths, mainly centred on the Lombardy region.

Lombardy and the region of Veneto have been put on lockdown as the country battles the worst outbreak of Covid-19 in Europe.

A case of a person travelling abroad from Italy with the disease has also been confirmed.

An Italian national in Tenerife on the Canary Islands has been put in isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The UK currently has 13 cases of the virus, with four more confirmed over the weekend among the evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.