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As Zimbabwe continues to report that there are no coronavirus cases inside its borders, 16 people were reported killed over in France; This came as it was reported that the latter’s neighbour, UK now has 273 people with confirmed coronavirus infections in the UK.

It is the largest single increase so far, up 64 from 209 on Saturday.

Ministers are now set for a meeting of the government’s disaster emergency committee tomorrow where they could sign-off plans to move the UK into the “delay” phase of efforts to fight the virus. This would be an acknowledgement there is now no chance of containing the virus.

Meanwhile, a scientist in Newcastle, UK is developing a breath test to diagnose coronavirus

Northumbria University associate professor Sterghios Moschos was quoted by the BBC saying he is not able to trial it in the UK.

Dr Moschos is leading research into a device to collect breath samples which could be tested in minutes.

If trials show it can detect the virus its results could be quicker and more reliable than current tests, he says.

The government agency responsible has been approached for comment.

Dr Moschos said UK infectious diseases units had “elected not to carry out testing” of his kit.

He accepted infection control processes were so stringent that even “the simple thing of ‘Can you please breathe into this’ might be a lot more complicated in practice than it might seem”.

However, clinicians in Europe are prepared to test the kits and will receive them within the next week, he said. -. BBC / Telegraph