Coronavirus: First patient in UK dies after testing positive for COVID-19
Written by News on 05/03/2020
A patient with underlying health conditions has become the first person in the UK to die after testing positive for coronavirus.
The patient had been “in an out of hospital” for other reasons but was admitted on Wednesday evening to the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust and tested positive for COVID-19.
The news comes as cases of coronavirus in the UK have more than doubled in 48 hours as the country moves towards the delay phase of tackling the virus.
Some 116 people have tested positive, including 105 in England, three in Wales, six in Scotland and three in Northern Ireland.
Just two days ago there were 51 UK cases.
A statement from the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust said: “Sadly, we can confirm that an older patient with underlying health conditions has died.
“The patient has previously been in and out of hospital for non-coronavirus reasons, but on this occasion was admitted and last night tested positive for coronavirus.
“The family has been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”
England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said the person who died was an “older patient” who is believed to have contracted the virus in the UK “and contact tracing is already underway”.
Last week, the Foreign Office confirmed a British tourist who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined in Japan, had died from the virus.
Downing Street on Thursday said it is “highly likely” that coronavirus will now spread in a “significant way”.
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(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: First patient in UK dies after testing positive for COVID-19
