Cautious optimism of ‘green shoots’, despite 393 deaths

The UK wide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus is starting to show “green shoots” of working, despite a dramatic surge in deaths yesterday.

NHS clinical director Stephen Powis said the social distancing measures implemented over the last week were starting to “flatten the curve” of infection, but warned the nation that “we must not slack off” and get complacent.

The comments came as it was announced another 393 people in the UK had died after contracting the virus over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,789.

The jump is by far the biggest dayon-day rise in the number of deaths since the outbreak began.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, appearing at the daily Downing Street press briefing, said the sharp rise in deaths was “deeply shocking”, but offered cautious optimism.

He said: “There are some signs as a result of people observing social distancing that we may be able to flatten the spread of infection.

“But, it’s absolutely not the time for people to imagine that there can be any relaxation, or slackening.

“People’s sacrifices are worth it, they are making a difference, but we must not let up.”

Dr Powis, appearing alongside

Mr Gove, added: “We have had a rise in the number of UK deaths, but recently, there is a little bit of a plateau in cases, now I think it’s really important not to read too much into this, because it’s early days, we’re not out of the woods, we’re very much in the woods, and it’s really important that we keep complying with those instructions.

“So green shoots, but only green shoots, and we must not be complacent and we must not take our foot off the pedal.”

Mr Gove later revealed that the UK was making thousands of new ventilators – which would be delivered to the NHS in England.

“The first of thousands of new ventilators will roll off the production and be sent to the NHS next week,” he said.

He also revealed that rapid clinical trials are taking place using antimalarial drugs to try and see whether it will have an effect on those who are ill with Covid-19.

Meanwhile yesterday, independent statistics revealed that the true death toll in England and Wales is higher than hospital statistics suggest.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for England and Wales shows there were 24% more deaths relating to Covid-19 up to and including March 20, compared to hospital-only data for the same period.