Coronavirus patient deaths rise by 403 in England

A further 403 hospital patients have died after contracting coronavirus in England.

It takes the total number of fatalities in England to 4,897.

There were an extra 27 deaths in Wales taking the overall number to 193 and two further deaths in Scotland where the total now stands at 222.

The patients who died in England were aged between 35 and 106, and 15 of them had no known underlying health condition.

London remains a hotspot, accounting for 129 of the 403 deaths, followed by the Midlands, which recorded 75 fatalities and the North East & Yorkshire that saw 67.

The latest figures come as Boris Johnson remains in a central London hospital for tests over persisting coronavirus symptoms, understood to include a high temperature.

Despite this, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News that the 55-year-old prime minister “remains very much in charge of the government” and expected him to return to Downing Street “shortly”.

Downing Street has said Mr Johnson is still under observation but is in “good spirits” and has been working from his bed.

In his absence, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, has taken over chairing the government’s daily crisis committee.

England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has also returned to work after recovering from his coronavirus symptoms.

Politicians from across the political divide have sent get-well messages to the PM.

US President Donald Trump has also passed on his country’s best wishes saying “all Americans are praying for him”.

News of Mr Johnson’s admission to hospital came a short time after the Queen made a rare televised address to the nation in which she called on the country to “remain united and resolute” and echoed the words of Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime anthem, when she said “we will meet again”.

Mr Johnson has been self-isolating in 11 Downing Street since testing positive on 27 March; he uses the residence above the chancellor’s office as several prime ministers have in the past given it has a larger living space.

He was still noticeably unwell the last time he was seen on Friday in a video message urging people to “stick with” the lock down measures as the weather warmed up.

In the footage, he confirmed he still had a high temperature.

His pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds has said she is “on the mend” after spending a week in bed after also suffering coronavirus symptoms.

Elsewhere, the Prince of Wales has been reunited with the Duchess of Cornwall after she came out of isolation, just days before their 15th wedding anniversary.

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Camilla, 72, had tested negative for coronavirus but went into quarantine for 14 days after the heir to the throne contracted the disease.

The couple had been staying apart from one another at their Scottish retreat in Aberdeenshire.

Prince Charles finished his isolation a week ago and spoke of the “strange, frustrating and often distressing” experience of being without friends and family.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus patient deaths rise by 403 in England