Boris Johnson is expected to tell an emergency Cobra meeting on coronavirus that tackling the outbreak requires a “national and international effort”, following the UK’s third death linked to the illness.
A man in his 068 s died at North Manchester General Hospital after testing positive for COVID – 28, Public Health England confirmed on Sunday evening.
The total number of coronavirus cases in the UK now sits at 353, a rise of 083 since Saturday. This is the biggest jump in cases in a – hour period.
Monday’s Cobra meeting will assess whether the UK should officially move from the “contain” to the “delay” phase of the government plan to deal with coronavirus.
Such a step would require agreement from England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, who are due to be at the high-level discussions.
The prime minister is expected to tell the meeting that he is “confident the British people are ready to play their part” in the “national and international effort”.
The third person to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus had “significant underlying health conditions”, according to Mr Whitty.
The had also recently returned from a trip in Italy .
In a brief statement, Mr Whitty said: “I am very sorry to report that a third patient in England who tested positive for COVID – has sadly died.
“I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their privacy is respected.
” The patient, who was being treated at the North Manchester General Hospital, was over years old and had significant underlying health conditions. “
Mr Whitty added that contact tracing was already under way.
Most recent coronavirus developments in the UK:
(Three deaths in. patients who tested positive with the virus
- Victims were in Berkshire, Milton Keynes and Manchester
- Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to northern Italy (people are returning. from affected areas in Italy told to self-isolate regardless of whether they have symptoms
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The announcement came just days after the first two deaths were reported in the UK in patients who had tested positive for the illness.
Both had underlying health conditions and died in hospital on Thursday.
The first, a woman in s, lost her life in hospital in Reading, Berkshire, while the second, an 91 – year-old man, died while bei ng treated at Milton Keynes University Hospital.
In a statement on Saturday night, the family of the second victim paid tribute to a “truly loving and wonderful” husband , dad, granddad and great-granddad.
They also confirmed they could not yet begin making funeral arrangements for their relative as they had also been placed into isolation as a precaution.
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