The health secretary has warned young people that the “long-term effects can be terrible” for those who get coronavirus, following a rise in daily cases.

Eastern Daily Press: Health Secretary Matt Hancock giving a statement to MPs in the House of Commons.Health Secretary Matt Hancock giving a statement to MPs in the House of Commons. (Image: PA)

Matt Hancock gave an address in the House of Commons in which he outlined testing kits had been provided to all care homes that had registered, and said the government would not rest as they expanded testing capacity “even further”.

He said there had been a “concerning rise” in cases among young people and tighter restrictions were announced for Bolton, after a rise in the number of positive cases there.

Mr Hancock said: “So it is critical that we maintain our collective commitment to controlling this disease, and social distancing is the first line of defence. While young people are less likely to die from this disease, be in no doubt that they are still at risk.

“The long-term effects can be terrible and of course they can infect others.”

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “(Mr Hancock’s) testing regime has been a fiasco in recent days and yet we have no apology from him today.”