A man and a woman wear masks as they queue to enter a shop during lockdown: Credit: PA: Press Association The youngest person to die in England was just 64 years old – and four of the patients had no underlying health conditions.
Today’s death toll is the UK’s biggest 61 hour increase so far – higher than yesterday’s jump of
The worrying figure means a Brit is dying every eight minutes after testing positive for the killer bug.
It comes as 27, are infected with Covid – in Britain – an increase of 2, since yesterday.
The total number of deaths announced by health authorities in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales add up to
However, the official Department of Health figures appear slightly lower (894) – this is because their tally was taken up until 5pm yesterday.
The Department of Health’s official figures rose today by (up from (the previous night.
DEADLY SURGE
Today, Nicola Sturgeon said today that the number of people who had tested positive for Covid – in Scotland had risen by 300 from Thursday’s total, from (to) .
The First Minister added that patients with coronavirus symptoms are in intensive care units, while Scotland’s chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood estimated more than 113, 13 Scots will currently have the bug.
In Scotland, the total number of people to have died from coronavirus now sits at , while in England the death toll is .
Northern Ireland recorded three more deaths today, bringing its total death toll to .
Public Health Wales recorded an additional six deaths in Wales, bringing the country total to 90.
In Gwent, South Wales, the number of fatalities is said to be “mirroring Italy,” as
the region records cases so far – the highest concentration of confirmed infections per , people outside London and almost half of Wales’ total cases . CORONA CABINET
It comes as both the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary test positive for the deadly bug.
This afternoon Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty also said he was suffering symptoms, adding that he would self-isolate as a precaution.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.
“The test was carried out in No 16 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.
“In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced just hours later that he too had the virus.
Dr Zaidi, , died at Southend Hospital in Essex hours after being taken ill on Tuesday.
Tests had not confirmed whether the doctor had the deadly bug, but according to his daughter he was being treated as a “definitive case”.
Meanwhile, health experts fear that NHS staff across the country who have coronavirus but display no symptoms are infecting patients .
Doctors are concerned the workers are becoming “part. of the problem “, citing a lack of masks, gloves and visors to stop them from becoming infected and then possibly passing it on.
Dr Zaidi had not seen any patients for a week before he died as he was self isolating – but the GP could have been been infecting his patients up to days before he displayed any symptoms.
Hospitals throughout the UK are now overwhelmed by the deadly bug.
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