LONDON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Britain has reached 798 Friday, an increase of 208 over 24 hours, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

It is by far the biggest rise in cases of COVID-19 in one day, according to official figures.

The British government announced on Thursday that the country has switched from the "containment" phase to "delay" in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, which will see more "social distancing" measures.

The COVID-19 outbreak is "the worst public health crisis for a generation," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday after an emergency COBRA committee meeting on Thursday.