Coronavirus: UK sees largest rise in deaths in a day – total now 35
Written by News on 15/03/2020
The number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK has risen to 35 following the largest increase in a 24-hour period.
The Department of Health announced on Sunday that 14 more patients have died – all in England – after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
They were aged between 59 and 94 and had underlying health conditions, according to NHS England.
The youngest victim was named as Nick Matthews who was being treated at Bristol Royal Infirmary after testing positive for coronavirus.
His wife Mary Matthews wrote on Facebook that she had lost her “life partner and soul mate but most of all my best friend” and confirmed her family is in isolation.
She added that her family were “beyond proud to have had such a big character in our lives”.
There are now 1,372 confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK after a rise of 232 over the last 24 hours.
The number of people tested for the virus has risen to 40,279, with 38,907 proving to be negative.
Of the 35 UK deaths, 34 have been in England and one in Scotland.
In Scotland, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 has risen to 153 – a rise of 32 since Saturday.
In Wales, health authorities confirmed 34 new cases on Sunday, bringing the country’s total to 94.
Eleven new cases have also been recorded in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of known cases there to 45.
It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News that over-70s would be asked to self-isolate “in the coming weeks” in the fight against the outbreak.
Mr Hancock also told the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that the UK was likely to need “many more times” the current 5,000 ventilators, amid concerns hospitals will come under intense pressure.
He said the growing virus outbreak meant “the elderly and vulnerable” would be asked to “shield themselves by self-isolating”.
In other developments:
- The UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice, warning against all but essential travel to the US and Spain
- Hundreds of scientists sign a letter claiming the government’s plan to tackle coronavirus is risking lives
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged companies to step up production of ventilators
- Prisoners could be released early if the virus spreads to jails
- British food retailers urge customers to shop responsibly amid panic buying
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(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: UK sees largest rise in deaths in a day – total now 35
