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UK coronavirus live: Matt Hancock gives Downing Street briefing as UK death toll passes 10,000 UK coronavirus live: Matt Hancock announces contact tracing app as UK death toll passes 10,000
(32 minutes later)
Official total reaches 10,612, a daily rise of 737; Boris Johnson leaves hospital but will not yet return to workOfficial total reaches 10,612, a daily rise of 737; Boris Johnson leaves hospital but will not yet return to work
Pressed on testing in care homes and asked whether he can guarantee the care sector that they can get regular tests, Hancock says he can, “that is coming”.
“This is an area of incredibly high importance,” he says. Adds that one of the things the country has succeeded in in this crisis is that people have recognised that care staff are on the frontline as much as NHS staff.
Answering a follow-up question on testing in care homes and the timescale of testing becoming available to them, Hancock says the testing was being rolled out “right now”.
Asked whether he wants to apologise to healthcare staff in light of calls by the Royal College of Nursing to refuse treatment to patients if no appropriate PPE is available, Hancock says the government is “working night and day” to ensure they “get this right”, but does not apologise.
Asked about the delivery of PPE, Hancock says “we won’t rest” until everyone gets the necessary PPE delivered, and praises procurement experts.
Asked about reports that the UK could have the highest death toll in Europe, Hancock responds that “the future of this virus is unknowable”.
Doyle adds that every single one of the over 10,000 deaths is “an absolute tragedy”.
Doyle starts out by sharing some data on the reduced use of transport and motor vehicles.
In terms of new UK cases, 838 NHS staff had tested positive yesterday and today and, she said.
The rate of people in hospital beds in London is stabilising, Doyle said, but in other regions such as the North West and the North East trends were worsening now, she said.
Hancock was speaking at a desk bearing the message: “Stay home this Easter”.
He has now handed over to Yvonne Doyle, medical director and director of health protection for Public Health England.
121,000 PPE gowns have been delivered over the past week, Hancok says. “Thank you to all involved in the herculean effort on PPE,” he says.
He says he wants to outline the next steps for tracing infections via an app, that will allow people to log their symptoms anonymously, data only to be used by NHS staff.
The app is being tested, Hancock says.
A “record number” of 9,775 ventilators is now available, Hancock says.
“We are increasing the amount of PPE, and I’m glad to say that there are now record amounts in the system,” he says.
“Today marks a sombre day”, Hancock says, as the death toll has topped 10,000 in the UK.“Today marks a sombre day”, Hancock says, as the death toll has topped 10,000 in the UK.
19,945 people had now been admitted to hospital, Hancock says, meaning about half of all hospital admissions have died. A total of 19,945 people had now been admitted to hospital, he says, which means about half of all hospital admissions have died.
Today is “extra tough”, Hancock says, thanks people for the part they are playing but urges not to be complacent. Today is “extra tough”, he says, and thanks people for the part they are playing but warns against complacency.
An additional 150 critical care beds are now available, he says.An additional 150 critical care beds are now available, he says.
The government’s daily coronavirus briefing has just started, today led by Matt Hancock.The government’s daily coronavirus briefing has just started, today led by Matt Hancock.
Hancock says he hopes everyone has seen the PM’s “message of love”, and that this will have shown people that the NHS cares for all.Hancock says he hopes everyone has seen the PM’s “message of love”, and that this will have shown people that the NHS cares for all.
The prime minister praises the NHS staff who have been taking care of him during his stay in St Thomas’ hospital. He left the south London hospital after a week of treatment and will go to Chequers to continue his recovery:The prime minister praises the NHS staff who have been taking care of him during his stay in St Thomas’ hospital. He left the south London hospital after a week of treatment and will go to Chequers to continue his recovery:
Around half of the A&E staff at the Royal Gwent hospital in Newport, Wales, one of the worst-affected areas in the UK for coronavirus, have tested positive for Covid-19.Around half of the A&E staff at the Royal Gwent hospital in Newport, Wales, one of the worst-affected areas in the UK for coronavirus, have tested positive for Covid-19.
According to consultant Tim Rogerson, 50% of the consultants and nurses at the Royal Gwent hospital’s accident and emergency department have tested positive. Rogerson said he had tested positive himself.According to consultant Tim Rogerson, 50% of the consultants and nurses at the Royal Gwent hospital’s accident and emergency department have tested positive. Rogerson said he had tested positive himself.
The doctor revealed the statistics in a video shared by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board - as he said he had also tested positive for the virus and had been off work since experiencing “mild to moderate” coronavirus symptoms.The doctor revealed the statistics in a video shared by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board - as he said he had also tested positive for the virus and had been off work since experiencing “mild to moderate” coronavirus symptoms.
1,453 people have tested positive for Covid-19 at the health board, which includes Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen, making it the biggest cluster in Wales and one of the worst in the UK.1,453 people have tested positive for Covid-19 at the health board, which includes Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen, making it the biggest cluster in Wales and one of the worst in the UK.
“This has obviously happened despite all of the PPE that we’ve got and all the hand washing that we’re doing but it’s probably just a likely thing that’s going to happen when we’re faced with such numbers of patients coming in with coronavirus,” he said.“It’s probably inevitable and it is proving a challenge when it’s coming to staffing the department when we are facing these numbers coming through.”“This has obviously happened despite all of the PPE that we’ve got and all the hand washing that we’re doing but it’s probably just a likely thing that’s going to happen when we’re faced with such numbers of patients coming in with coronavirus,” he said.“It’s probably inevitable and it is proving a challenge when it’s coming to staffing the department when we are facing these numbers coming through.”
Rogerson also urged members of the public to stay indoors over the Easter weekend as breaching social distancing guidelines would hit the hospital’s intensive care unit capacity in “two weeks’ time”.“Although it’s difficult, we really do want people to abide by the guidance, to stay at home and protect the NHS,” he said.Rogerson also urged members of the public to stay indoors over the Easter weekend as breaching social distancing guidelines would hit the hospital’s intensive care unit capacity in “two weeks’ time”.“Although it’s difficult, we really do want people to abide by the guidance, to stay at home and protect the NHS,” he said.
The Department of Health and Social Care has updated the total number of deaths from Covid-19 of people in hospitals in the UK to 10,612, as of 5pm Saturday, a daily rise of 737.The Department of Health and Social Care has updated the total number of deaths from Covid-19 of people in hospitals in the UK to 10,612, as of 5pm Saturday, a daily rise of 737.
On Saturday, there had been 9,875 hospital deaths recorded in the UK, with a day-on-day rise of 917.On Saturday, there had been 9,875 hospital deaths recorded in the UK, with a day-on-day rise of 917.
As of 9am 12 April, 352,974 tests have concluded, with 18,000 tests on 11 April, the department said. 282,374 people have been tested of which 84,279 tested positive.As of 9am 12 April, 352,974 tests have concluded, with 18,000 tests on 11 April, the department said. 282,374 people have been tested of which 84,279 tested positive.
While the daily increase of deaths has slowed, it is unclear how high the actual daily death toll is, as many deaths are being reported days or even weeks after they have occurred.While the daily increase of deaths has slowed, it is unclear how high the actual daily death toll is, as many deaths are being reported days or even weeks after they have occurred.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has shared a message of reassurance on Twitter, announcing a citywide mental health and wellbeing movement in the capital aimed at supporting Londoners who feel “worried, anxious or lonely”.London Mayor Sadiq Khan has shared a message of reassurance on Twitter, announcing a citywide mental health and wellbeing movement in the capital aimed at supporting Londoners who feel “worried, anxious or lonely”.
The website of this new campaign, Thrive LDN, contains a message directly addressed to “young Londoners”, urging them “to stay apart and keep our physical distance to ensure we stop the spread of the virus.”The website of this new campaign, Thrive LDN, contains a message directly addressed to “young Londoners”, urging them “to stay apart and keep our physical distance to ensure we stop the spread of the virus.”
Hi all, this is Jedidajah Otte, taking over from my colleague Jessica Murray. If you want to share updates or a story please get in touch via email or on Twitter.Hi all, this is Jedidajah Otte, taking over from my colleague Jessica Murray. If you want to share updates or a story please get in touch via email or on Twitter.
In his video posted to Twitter, Johnson praised the general public for adhering to lockdown measures and the staff who cared for him when “things could have gone either way”.
“When the natural world is at its loveliest and the outdoor world seems so inviting, I can only imagine how tough it has been to follow the rules on social distancing,” he said.
He said the British public have formed a “human shield” around the NHS and that he had seen the pressure the service is under over the past seven days, thanking the wide range of staff who continued to work throughout the outbreak.
“It is thanks to that devotion, that duty, and that love, that out NHS has been unbeatable.”
He thanked a number of staff members by name, including two nurses from New Zealand and Portugal who stood beside his bedside for 48 hours, “when things could have gone either way”, he said.
Boris Johnson has posted a video on Twitter, praising NHS staff for saving his life, after he left hospital earlier today.
He said: “It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS for saving my life.
“The efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it.
“Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past. #StayHomeSaveLives.”
University Hospitals Birmingham has recorded the highest number of coronavirus-related deaths for any NHS trust in England.
As of 5pm on 11 April, the trust had announced 404 deaths, according to figures from NHS England.
Four other trusts have announced between 200 and 300 deaths.
They are London North West university healthcare NHS trust (272 deaths), the Royal Free London NHS foundation trust (267), King’s College hospital NHS foundation trust (237) and Barts health NHS trust (230).
A further 22 trusts have announced between 100 and 200 deaths.
Of the 657 new hospital deaths announced on Sunday by NHS England, 121 occurred on 11 April while 531 took place between 1 April and 10 April.
The remaining five deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on 26 March.
NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including new deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago.
This is because of the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19, for post-mortem tests to be processed, and for data from the tests to be validated.
The figures published today by NHS England show that 8 April currently has the highest total for the most hospital deaths occurring in a single day (709) although this could change in future updates.
Head teachers say the Department for Education’s private provider is still failing to deliver the food vouchers designed to replace free school meals for poor families during the Covid-19 lockdown, despite the DfE having “reassured” them that delays would be resolved.
The DfE contracted Edenred, a French voucher vendor, to supply email codes to families with children eligible for free school meals in England.
But last week the Guardian reported that families and schools have not been issued the voucher codes, worth £15 a week for each child, and report frustration and bureaucracy in dealing with Edenred.
One teacher said she spent more than £50 on calls to Edenred’s customer helpline, before discovering that the company had opened a free-phone number.
Others say that the company’s online platform has been frozen and complain of unanswered emails and slow responses, leading the DfE to pledge to work “tirelessly” to clear the backlog.
But during the Easter weekend many families had still failed to receive vouchers, with Edenred telling those who rang to complain: “We have been experiencing enormous traffic to the site.”
Edenred told one teacher on Saturday that it had processed 500,000 voucher codes so far - which left 800,000 still to go, the teacher pointed out.
The UK coronavirus death toll has passed 10,000.
The combined figures from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland make it clear that the official total, when it comes later today, will take the UK past 10,000 deaths.
As of yesterday, the UK had 9,875 confirmed deaths of patients who had contracted Covid-19.
Almost 5,000 former staff are back on the NHS frontline after coming out of retirement to support the coronavirus effort.
NHS England said on Sunday that the 4,800 returning doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals in England are the first tranche of those returning to service, with another 10,300 joining them over the next fortnight.
The NHS issued a callout for recent leavers, who left the profession within the past three years, to come back to help care for patients.
The General Medical Council is helping to widen the search by extending its register, so that those who left the service between four and six years ago can also return.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is due to follow suit later this week with similar measures for nurses and midwives who left the profession four or five years ago.
Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said:
The number of deaths of patients with Covid-19 by region in England are as follows:
NHS England said on Sunday a further 657 people have died in hospital in England after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total deaths there to 9,594.
Patients were aged between 26 and 100 years old, and 42 of the 657 patients (aged between 30 and 98 years old) had no known underlying health condition.
Their families have been informed.
Historically, disease outbreaks have happened at a time of social inequality and discord, writes science journalist Laura Spinney.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to expose inequalities across the globe, Spinney explores whether inequality doesn’t just make pandemics worse, but actually causes them.