Coronavirus: UK COVID-19 deaths rise by 439 to 5,373
The number of deaths of patients infected with the coronavirus in the UK has risen to 5,373, a rise of 439 from 4,934 recorded yesterday.
That is the lowest daily rise in deaths since March 31.
Cases recorded also continue to rise, with a total of 51,608 confirmed today – an increase of 3,802 from 47,806 on Sunday.
The real number of cases is expected to be much higher because there are limits to how many people the government can test in a day.
The case figures are accurate to 9am today and the number of deaths cover the 24 hours up to 5pm on Sunday.
There is a possibility that the outbreak could peak next weekend in the UK.
Worldwide, there are more than 1.2 million confirmed cases, with over 70,000 deaths and 270,000 recoveries according to Johns Hopkins University data.
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The rise follows a dramatic Sunday which saw the prime minister taken to hospital around the same time the Queen broadcast a rare televised special address.
Boris Johnson spent the night in hospital for what Downing Street said was a precautionary measure.
He has been self-isolating and running government from 11 Downing Street but had to extend how long he quarantined himself after his symptoms persisted for more than a week.
“The prime minister thanks NHS staff for all of their incredible hard work and urges the public to continue to follow the Government’s advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives,” Downing Street said in a statement.
His pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds is recovering from coronavirus symptoms and has said she is feeling stronger.
I’ve spent the past week in bed with the main symptoms of Coronavirus. I haven’t needed to be tested and, after seven days of rest, I feel stronger and I’m on the mend.
— Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 4, 2020
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick told BBC Breakfast that Johnson is “working extremely hard leading the government and being constantly updated”.
“Obviously today he’s in hospital having the tests but he will continue to be kept informed as to what’s happening and to be in charge of the government,” Jenrick added.
“I’m sure this is very frustrating for him, for somebody like Boris who wants to be hands on running the Government from the front, but nonetheless he’s still very much in charge of the government.”
In a speech recorded at Windsor Castle, the Queen gave a rallying speech in which she said this generation of Britons would be remembered for how they dealt with the coronavirus outbreak.
“Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it,” she told audiences in Sunday evening’s broadcast.
“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again, we will be with our families again, we will meet again.”
That kind of special televised broadcast has only happened three times before – when the Queen Mother died in 2002, ahead of Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 and about the First Gulf War in 1991.
Yesterday, Matt Hancock said people who have been flouting the lockdown rules – implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed with new cases – needed to change their behaviour.
He warned of stricter measures if they continued to go against legislation and government advice.
“The more people follow the rules then the faster we will all be through this,” he said, also telling the BBC that he did not want to be forced to ban outdoor exercise.
He has stated that sunbathing is against the rules of the lockdown.
