A newborn baby has tested positive for coronavirus in London, becoming the world's youngest victim.

The baby's mother is said to have developed pneumonia-like symptoms and was rushed to North Middlesex hospital in London, where she was tested positive for the virus.

The baby was also tested positive "within minutes" of arrival.

Medics are trying to establish whether the toddler was infected during birth or contracted the virus while in the womb.

While the mum has been moved to a specialist infections hospital as her condition is understood to be worse than the child's, the baby remains at the hospital, where it was born, for treatment.

A source said:

"Staff in contact with both patients have been advised to self-isolate. Health officials are urgently trying to find out the circumstances behind their infections."

Officials have advised that expectant women and babies are at low risk from coronavirus and are likely to only endure mild symptoms.

Unlike other infections, the mortality rate of coronavirus doesn't curve at both age groups. Only among the elderly.

The news comes as the UK's infection toll soars by more than 200 in one day to around 800 with 11 fatalities in total.

In the last 24 hours, the UK has seen an enormous 35 percent increase in confirmed cases of the deadly virus.

Public events such as football in England have been put on hold. All mass gatherings are due to be canceled.

Meanwhile, the Welsh health minister revealed as many as 20,000 people could die in Wales as he suspended all non-urgent surgical procedures and outpatient appointments.

On Friday morning, the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed 32,771 people had been tested, with 798 testing positive. At the time, 10 had died, though this has since increased to 11.

The Department tweeted:

"If you have symptoms of coronavirus, it's important that you stay at home for 7 days to help protect your friends and neighbors."

Coronavirus panic has now gripped the UK as car parks were pictured empty, and train stations and carriages are deserted as commuters avoided busy areas.

According to experts, around 10,000 people could have the virus at the moment in the UK and don't know it yet.

The government, however, has decided to keep schools open despite Ireland announcing it would close until the end of March to try and stop the spread.

Officials have controversially said they're aiming for a policy that could see up to 40 million people left to catch the virus in the hope that the country will build up a herd immunity as they recover, meaning so many people will be immune to the virus that it won't be able to spread when it inevitably reappears in the future.