UK closes cafes, bars from Friday night

Cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants must close from Friday night across Britain in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday.

Night clubs, theatres, gyms, cinemas and leisure centers must also close on the same timescale, said Johnson during his daily briefing in Downing Street.

Co-chairing the press conference with Johnson, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak outlined the government's highly expected new package to protect workers and their employers from the novel coronavirus.

Describing the economic intervention as "unprecedented", the chancellor announced that the government will step in and help pay wages to protect jobs for the first time in British history in the "coronavirus job retention scheme".

The government will cover 80 percent of wages for employees who are unable to work due to coronavirus, up to 2,500 pounds a month, Sunak added.

"Today I can announce that for the first time in our history the government is going to step in and pay people's wages," he said.

"Let me speak directly to businesses: I know it's incredibly difficult out there - we in government are doing everything we can to support you," said Sunak, adding that "The government is doing its best to stand behind you and I'm asking you to do your best to stand behind our workers."

As of 9 a.m. (0900 GMT) Friday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Britain reached 3,983, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. As of 1 p.m. (1300 GMT), 177 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died.

Cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants must close from Friday night across Britain in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday.

Night clubs, theatres, gyms, cinemas and leisure centers must also close on the same timescale, said Johnson during his daily briefing in Downing Street.

Co-chairing the press conference with Johnson, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak outlined the government's highly expected new package to protect workers and their employers from the novel coronavirus.

Describing the economic intervention as "unprecedented", the chancellor announced that the government will step in and help pay wages to protect jobs for the first time in British history in the "coronavirus job retention scheme".

The government will cover 80 percent of wages for employees who are unable to work due to coronavirus, up to 2,500 pounds a month, Sunak added.

"Today I can announce that for the first time in our history the government is going to step in and pay people's wages," he said.

"Let me speak directly to businesses: I know it's incredibly difficult out there - we in government are doing everything we can to support you," said Sunak, adding that "The government is doing its best to stand behind you and I'm asking you to do your best to stand behind our workers."

As of 9 a.m. (0900 GMT) Friday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Britain reached 3,983, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. As of 1 p.m. (1300 GMT), 177 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died.