Coronavirus in Essex: Everything we know this weekend

• More than 270 people have now tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, the Department of Health has said.
• Six people in Essex have tested positive. One is from Southend and another from Harlow
• The circumstances of the Southend case have not been made public
• As of 9am on Sunday, 273 people had been diagnosed with Covid-19 - an increase of 67 from the 206 cases confirmed at 7am on Saturday.
• It represents the largest day-on-day increase in diagnoses.
• The latest coronavirus figures were published as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a "national effort" is required to tackle the outbreak.
• He hailed the "good example" set by a group of people released from hospital quarantine on Sunday, who had been repatriated to the UK last month from the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY:

• We were made aware on Friday morning of a case in Southend. 
• The father of a student at Belfairs Academy in Leigh had tested positive.
• The child tested negative but was in self-isolation following advice from Public Health England 
• The academy, in Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, remained open and will also open tomorrow as normal. 
• Academy leaders say Public Health England are clear on its  advice to keep the academy open.
• Some parents say they will not allow their child to attend.
• Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said the school did the right thing in informing parents but keeping the school open. 

Matt Hancock

• Southend councillor responsible for education, Anne Jones, said she understood parents' concerns and urged the school to keep parents informed

NHS under pressure

Mr Hancock has set out plans contained in emergency legislation to deal with the impact of the virus.

The Bill, which is likely to go through Parliament by the end of the month, is expected to include measures to allow some court proceedings to be conducted via telephone or video.

Volunteers will be given additional employment safeguards, allowing them to leave their main jobs and temporarily help health and social systems in the event of a widespread pandemic.

The chairman of the Royal College of GPs, Professor Martin Marshall, told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday that tackling coronavirus will likely lead to hospitals having to cut down on "other work".

He also said he expected retired doctors and other medical professionals to answer the Government's call to assist with the crisis.

"Most likely these doctors, because they are in the higher risk patient group, would not do face-to-face contact but there's lots of things they can do - managing 111, providing online care or telephone-based care," he said.