Under the plans, airports could be shut and police could force people with symptoms into isolation.

Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Pictures taken over the weekend showed people across parts of the UK visiting parks and open spaces in large numbers
Emergency legislation that would grant powers aimed at tackling the spread of the coronavirus pandemic will be debated by MPs later.
Under the proposals, airports could shut and police would be able to force people with virus symptoms to isolate.
The powers, which would be time-limited for two years, are expected to be approved by MPs.
It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned new, stricter anti-virus measures could soon be introduced.
According to the latest figures, the UK’s death toll has reached 281 – including a person aged 18 with an underlying health condition – and there are 5,683 confirmed cases.
The government’s emergency legislation – set out last week – includes enabling recently retired NHS staff to return to work without any negative impact on their pensions, fast-tracking funeral arrangements, and allowing more court hearings to take place by phone or video.
Most controversially, the bill gives unprecedented powers to law enforcement agencies to detain people if they show symptoms of the virus and put them in appropriate isolation facilities if necessary.
The bill says this will help to “safeguard essential services” that could be at risk during the outbreak.
The debate comes after Mr Johnson warned on Sunday that the government would “very actively” consider tougher anti-virus measures over the next 24 hours.
Mr Johnson’s warning followed pictures of people across parts UK visiting parks and open spaces in large numbers over the weekend.
Speaking on Sunday at Downing Street’s daily news conference, Mr Johnson said everyone had to act “responsibly” and practice social distancing.
“If we can’t do that then, yup, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring forward tougher measures.”
And on Sunday evening, the government issued a further statement, clarifying its advice that “people should avoid travelling unless it is essential”.
Essential travel, the Department for Health and Social Care said, “does not include visits to second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays”.
Media captionBoris Johnson: “Even if you think you’re personally invulnerable there are people you can infect”
The increase of 48 UK virus deaths since Saturday includes 37 in England, seven in Wales, three in Scotland and another in Northern Ireland.
The NHS said all those who died in England in the past day were in vulnerable groups including with underlying health issues.
In other developments, the NHS in England announced it had identified 1.5 million of the most at-risk people who should now stay at home for 12 weeks.
Those at-risk people include those with specific cancers, severe respiratory conditions and people who have received organ transplants.
The government is setting up “hubs” around the country to arrange deliveries of groceries and medicines to them.
Councils, pharmacists and members of the Armed Forces will help this work and there will be opportunities for members of the public to volunteer.
The PM told those people to “shield” themselves, adding it “will do more than any other single measure that we are setting out to save life”.
Media captionSaturday was the “busiest ever visitor day in living memory” in Snowdonia, officials say
In other key developments:

• Germany has expanded curbs on social interactions, banning public gatherings of more than two people
• The number of worldwide cases pass 300,000 with more than 13,000 deaths around the world
• Elsewhere in Europe, Spain registered 394 deaths from coronavirus in a day, while Italy recorded another 651
• The International Olympic Committee is considering postponing the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. It has given itself a deadline of four weeks to make a decision
• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a message of support to families this Mother’s Day, alongside photographs of them with two of their three children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte
• Thousands of retired medics answered the government’s call to return to work to help with the outbreak – including 4,000 nurses and 500 doctors