COVID-19 cases surge to 36 in UK

British authorities have confirmed 13 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the UK's total number of infections to 36.

Among these cases, twelve people in England and one in Scotland have tested positive for novel coronavirus, BBC reported.

Scotland confirmed its first case on Sunday. The Scottish government said the patient, a Tayside resident, was under treatment in isolation at a hospital.

Three of the new COVID-19 cases in England are linked to a man from Surrey, who was first to have contracted the novel coronavirus within the UK, British health authorities said.

While another eight patients had recently travelled back from affected countries -- six from Italy and two from Iran. They were residents of London, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Another patient, a resident of Essex in the southeast of England, had no "relevant travel" and it is unclear clear how the patient contracted the virus.

UK's Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the British government's contingency plans, which will be published later this week, include banning major events.