Sunderland LIVE news: Coronavirus updates on Thursday March 19 as Government announces school closures
Hello and welcome to our live blog where we will be bringing you the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak throughout the day.
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Yesterday the Government decided to close schools from Friday in a bid to prevent the further spread of the illness.
We will keep you up to date with developments on the situation in the North East and across the country.
Follow our coverage for breaking incidents across the region.