Government steps up bid to deal with Covid-19 after cases rocket
MORE than 160 people have now tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, in the largest day-on-day increase.
In total, 163 people had tested positive for Covid-19 as of 9am yesterday, up from 115 cases reported at the same time on Thursday.
It comes as the PA news agency understands that samples taken from an elderly patient who died at Milton Keynes Hospital are currently being investigated for coronavirus.
On Thursday evening another patient, reported to be a woman in her 70s, became the first person in the UK to die after being diagnosed with Covid-19 while at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
Last week, a British tourist who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined in Japan, became the first UK citizen to die from the virus.
In other developments:
• Facebook closed its London office for deep cleaning after a Singapore-based employee who had visited tested positive.
• Scottish Government official Professor June Andrew said a coronavirus pandemic would be “quite useful” as it would take out hospital bed blockers, even though it was a “horrific” thing to say.
• Dr Mike Ryan, from the World Health Organisation (WHO), said it was “a false hope” that coronavirus would disappear in the summer like flu.
• A 43-year-old British businessman was confirmed with Covid-19 in Thailand, and the Vatican confirmed its first case.
• A church in Devon closed after a parishioner was diagnosed with coronavirus, while the Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna temple, near Watford, closed its doors after a member tested positive.
• Two members of British Airways staff tested positive. It is understood the staff are baggage handlers.
• Globally, the number of coronavirus cases has passed 100,000, with 3,400 deaths.
• Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said homeless people were at higher risk due to existing health conditions, inability to wash their hands regularly and may be unable to self-isolate if they become unwell.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said the Government is working with supermarkets to ensure food supplies as the number of people self-isolating is expected to rise.
He sought to reassure the public following panic-buying in some areas, with supermarkets seeing their shelves cleared of essentials such as toilet roll and paracetamol.
Speaking on BBC’s Question Time, Mr Hancock said: “The Government has supplies of the key things that are needed and, within the food supply, we are absolutely confident that there won’t be a problem there. And, crucially, we are working to make sure that if people are self-isolating, they will be able to get the food and supplies that they need.”
He said there was “absolutely no need” for individual people “to go round buying more than they need”.
Downing Street said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had regular meetings with the food industry to discuss risks to the supply chain, with a working group meeting yesterday.
One supermarket executive told the BBC sales of basics such as pasta and tinned goods had “gone through the roof ”, adding: “While I think people don’t need to panic buy and should just shop normally, I’m not sure the Government can guarantee all food supply in all instances.”
However Environment Secretary George Eustice said he has been reassured by retailers that they are taking “all the necessary steps to ensure consumers have the food and supplies they need”.
New blog posts from Public Health England (PHE) suggested people may need to get supplies for loved ones in future if social-distancing measures are brought in and more people are told to stay at home.