Coronavirus: Britons Urged to Avoid Non-Essential Travel Abroad

British nationals should avoid all non-essential foreign travel to tackle the spread of coronavirus, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised.

The travel restrictions will be in place for 30 days initially but could be extended, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons.

The advice reflects the pace at which other countries are bringing in border controls in response to the pandemic.

Meanwhile the Euro 2020 football tournament has been postponed.

And the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have said all Church of England services and other public worship should be suspended until further notice - although weddings and funerals can still go ahead, a spokesman said.

"UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lockdowns in various countries. The speed and range of those measures across other countries is unprecedented," Mr Raab said in a statement.

It is the first time the FCO has advised against foreign travel anywhere in the world.

British people currently abroad do not have to immediately return to the UK - except for those in a few countries detailed in the FCO's travel advice.

But the FCO said travellers should bear in mind that flights could be cancelled at short notice as foreign countries grapple with restrictions being imposed by their own authorities.

Mr Raab said anyone who is still considering foreign travel should be "realistic about the level of disruption they are willing and able to endure".

The foreign secretary said the government would issue advice on how the flow of food and goods to the UK can be maintained.

Mr Raab said staff working on shipping routes should continue to do so as their travel was "essential".

The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK has reached 55.

More than 1,500 people have tested positive for the virus in the UK - but the actual number of cases is estimated to be between 35,000 and 50,000.

The government is primarily testing people who are in hospital so many people who have mild symptoms may never be diagnosed with the virus.

The travel advice for British nationals has in part been brought in because of the stringent social distancing measures announced by Boris Johnson on Monday.

The key new measures the prime minister announced included:

While schools will not be closed for the moment, a union leader has described the "intolerable pressure" teachers are under as a result of the lack of clarity about pupil and staff safety.

Businesses have also called for more details about the measures. Many small firms are unlikely to have insurance cover to compensate them for loss due to the virus, experts have warned.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to appear at the now daily Downing Street news conference later, where he will unveil more financial plans to help the economy during the pandemic

At a cabinet meeting earlier, Mr Johnson told ministers: "We are engaged in a war against the disease which we have to win."

Downing Street said the prime minister urged the government to support businesses "through what will be hugely challenging times".

FROM .bbc.com/news/uk