The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
PM Johnson tests positive for virus
Health Secretary Matt Hancock reveals he also has Covid-19
The coronavirus crisis reached the very heart of the government yesterday as the UK reported its sharpest day-on-day rise in deaths since the Covid-19 outbreak began
Boris Johnson is in self isolation after testing positive for the disease, along with his Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty who has been at the prime minister’s side for the daily Downing Street briefings.
A total of 759 people have now died in hospitals across the UK after being diagnosed with coronavirus, while 113,777 have tested positive.
In Scotland, RAF helicopters have been placed on standby to support the NHS after the number of cases rose to 1,059, up 165 since Thursday. Eight more people have died north of the border, taking the death toll to 33. Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said as many as 65,000 Scots could already be infected with the virus.
Stracathro Hospital near Brechin and Dundee International Sports Complex are among sites in Tayside and Fife being touted for overflow health services or distribution hubs for medical and personal protective equipment.
● Deadliest day yet for Covid-19 as deaths soar by 181 across the UK
● Health experts estimate as many as 65,000 Scots could have virus
● Older hospital estates and sports halls may be used for patients
● Fantastic public response praised after NHS clapping tribute
The UK has seen its biggest day-onday rise in deaths since the Covid-19 outbreak began, as Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock said they have tested positive for the virus and frontline testing of NHS workers is set to begin.
A total of 759 people have now died in UK hospitals after being diagnosed with coronavirus – a jump of 181 in 24 hours – while 113,777 have tested positive and hundreds of thousands more people are thought to be infected.
The toll comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on social media within two hours of each other that they had tested positive for Covid19 and were self-isolating with “mild symptoms”.
They were followed by England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, who tweeted that he had symptoms of coronavirus and was also self-isolating.
It means that the three men leading the fight against the outbreak are selfisolating, though all continue to work.
In a video message posted to Twitter, Mr Johnson said: “I’m working from home and self-isolating and that’s entirely the right thing to do.
“But, be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.
“I want to thank everybody involved and, of course, our amazing NHS staff.”
Mr Hancock tweeted: “Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I’ve been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response.”
US president Donald Trump spoke to Mr Johnson yesterday, wishing him well.
A Downing Street statement said: “Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with US president Donald Trump today.
“The president wished the prime minister a speedy recovery from coronavirus.
“They agreed to work together closely, along with the G7, the G20, and other international partners, to defeat the coronavirus pandemic.”
Analysis by the PA news agency shows it took 13 days for the number of deaths in the UK to go from one to just above 100.
It took a further eight days to reach the latest total of 759.
The jump in coronavirus-related deaths in the UK from 578 to 759 is an increase of 181 – the biggest day-onday rise and a 31% jump on the figures released on Thursday.
At the evening press briefing yesterday, Cabinet minister Michael Gove declined to be drawn on whether MPs had been too slow when it came to social distancing, saying the fact both Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock had Covid-19 showed the “virus does not discriminate”, adding: “We are all at risk.”
He said the rate of infection across the UK was doubling every two to three days.
Meanwhile, NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said NHS staff would start being tested for coronavirus from next week.
He also said that across England there are now 33,000 hospital beds available to treat coronavirus patients.
Currently, there are 6,200 confirmed Covid-19 patients being treated in English hospitals and he said that number is “only bound to rise in the coming days”.
Sir Simon said that as of Thursday, there were just under 3,000 empty and available hospital beds in London, and there would be additional beds next week at the new NHS Nightingale Hospital in east London.
Further NHS Nightingale hospitals are being built in Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre and Manchester’s Central Convention Centre “with further such hospitals to follow”, said Sir Simon.
“I’m working from home and self-isolating and that’s entirely the right thing to do. BORIS JOHNSON