Coronavirus hospital deaths in UK top 10,000
Written by News on 12/04/2020
Another 737 people have died with coronavirus in UK hospitals, taking the total to 10,612, says the Department of Health.
It is the first time the fatality figure has exceeded 10,000.
The total number of COVID-19 infections in the UK is now 84,279.
In England, a further 657 people have died, bringing the overall number of coronavirus-related deaths to 10,532.
Of the deaths recorded in England, there were 42 patients aged between 30 and 98 who had no known underlying health condition.
Scotland recorded a further 24 deaths, Wales 18 and Northern Ireland 11.
The different nations in the UK collate their figures at different times throughout the day, so there are sometimes discrepancies between the government’s total and when each nation’s numbers are added together.
Speaking at the government’s daily briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today marks a sombre day in the impact of this disease as we join the list of countries who have seen more than 10,000 deaths related to coronavirus.
“The fact that over 10,000 people have now lost their lives to this invisible killer demonstrates just how serious this coronavirus is and why the national effort that everyone is engaged in is so important.”
However, the latest figures do not give a true picture of fatalities overall, as they do not include deaths in care homes.
It comes amid mounting concerns that elderly residents in nursing homes and the staff looking after them have been “forgotten” during the coronavirus crisis.
It has also been confirmed three more nurses have died after contracting the virus, taking the number of NHS staff deaths to more than 30.
However, it is not known if the nurses, who worked in London, Worcestershire and South Wales, were infected while working.
Meanwhile, controversy continues to grow around the lack of personal protective equipment for health workers on the frontline.
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In response, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has issued new guidance to its members, saying they have the right to refuse to treat infected patients “as a last resort” if they are not given the proper clothing and masks.
With the government accused of being slow to to tackle shortages, Business Secretary Alok Sharma admitted to Sky News that more needed to be done to get protective equipment to medical staff, but refused to apologise for the situation.
In other developments:
- Boris Johnson is discharged from hospital but won’t immediately return to work
- Government adviser Sir Jeremy Farrar has warned the UK could be the worst hit in Europe
- The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered his Easter Sunday sermon from his kitchen table, pre-recorded on his computer tablet
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus hospital deaths in UK top 10,000
