Death toll in England hits 578 after the biggest daily rise in cases
THE jump in coronavirus-related deaths in England from 414 to 521 yesterday was an increase of 107 — much bigger than the rise reported on Wednesday, which was just 28.
As of 9am yesterday, 11,658 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, a rise of 2,129 (22%) on the equivalent figure the day before.
This marked the biggest dayon-day increase.
A total of 104,866 people have now been tested for coronavirus, of whom 11% tested positive.
There has, however, been a change in the way NHS England and the Department of Health are reporting deaths. Wednesday’s figures covered only the eight hours from 9am to 5pm on Tuesday, March 24.
Yesterday’s figures are for a full 24-hour period, from 5pm on Tuesday 5pm on Wednesday.
From now on, there will be a day’s delay. Figures published today will cover the 24 hours from 5pm Wednesday, March 25 to 5pm Thursday, March 26.
Meanwhile, figures for the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the whole of the UK will continue to be a snapshot from earlier in the same day.
In other developments:
• Criminals who deliberately cough at police while claiming to have coronavirus could face up to two years in jail, the country’s top prosecutor has warned;
• The Home Office warned that people who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules could be arrested by police;
• Home tests for people to find out whether they have had coronavirus could be available in a matter of weeks, says Public Health England;
• Billionaire entrepreneur Sir James Dyson said the Government had ordered 10,000 ventilators from his company;
• Downing Street said the UK had become the largest contributor to the international coalition to find a coronavirus vaccine donating £210m;
• No10 indicated that additional coronavirus field hospitals are being considered around the UK and 500 of the additional 4,000 beds created in the NHS Nightingale Hospital being set up in London’s EXCEL centre will be available for use next week;
• The Government raised the target for volunteers to help vulnerable people through the coronavirus crisis to 750,000 after almost 650,000 members of the public signed up to help the NHS.
• Deputy chief medical officer for England Jenny Harries said social distancing measures are starting to have an effect, but “we must not take our foot off the pedal”.