Prime Minister Boris Johnson has 'tested positive for coronavirus'

In a video message posted on Twitter, the Conservative leader said he had taken a test on the advice of Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty after experiencing the “mild symptoms” of the illness, a persistent cough and a temperature.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also said he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Only 6,000 people are tested for the virus each day, but the Government has said it plans to increase that to 10,000 a day, with calls for more NHS and key workers to be checked if they have signs of the illness.

The latest figures – released yesterday – showed the number of deaths from coronavirus has increased across the United Kingdom from 463 to 578.

Mr Johnson says he is now self-isolating in Downing Street adding: “That’s entirely the right thing to do, but be in no doubt, I can continue to, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

“I want to thank everybody who is involved, I want to thank above all our amazing NHS staff.

“It was very moving, last night to join in that national clap for the NHS.

“But it’s not just the NHS, it’s our police, it’s our social care workers, our teachers, everybody who works in our schools, DWP staff, an amazing national effort by our public services, but also every member of the British public who is volunteering, an incredible response, 600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus.

“I want to thank you, I want to thank everybody who is working to keep our country going through this epidemic.”We will get through it and the way we are going to get through it is of course by applying the measures that you will have heard so much about and the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we will bounce back.

“So thank you to everybody who is doing what I am doing, working from home to stop the spread of the virus from household to household, that's the way we’re going to win.

“We’re going to beat it and beat it together.

“Stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”

Mr Hancock tweeted: "Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus. I've tested positive.

“Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I'm working from home & self-isolating.

“Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives."

Then in a video message he added that he would be self-isolating until next Thursday.

"Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I've been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response.

He also said a "massive thank you to everybody in the NHS, working in social care and right across the board on the response".

"I'll be continuing to do everything I can to get our carers the support that they need. And I'll be doing that from here but with no less gusto."

"And then from next Thursday, once I'm out of self-isolation and I hope with no more symptoms, then I'll be able to get back stuck in and into the office where necessary.

"But the truth is that all of us can learn that working from home can be really, really effective.”