Coronavirus live: Second Brit ‘dies from Covid-19’ as UK cases number 163
UK coronavirus cases have hit 163, the government confirmed today, as reports emerged of a second Brit who has died from Covid-19.
London’s total number of cases has climbed to 29, up four from yesterday’s 25. England has 147 cases overall, with 13 in the north east and Yokshire, 21 in the north west.
There are 24 infections in the south east, 22 in the south west, and 12 in the Midlands. The east of England has counted 11 cases to date.
The UK has now tested 20,338 people for coronavirus and 20,175 have returned negative results.
The Department of Health has not yet confirmed reports this afternoon that a man in his 80s died from coronavirus in Milton Keynes today.
An elderly woman in Reading died from the Covid-19 illness yesterday. Both are reported to have suffered from underlying health conditions.
UK suffers second coronavirus death
A second Brit died from the coronavirus outbreak today, it is reported, as two British Airways staff contracted Covid-19.
A patient on a ward at Milton Keynes Hospital has died from the Covid-19 illness, according to the Milton Keynes Citizen.
A Department of Health spokesperson declined to confirm the report. But the local newspaper said the victim is believed to have been male and was in his late 80s.
It is believed he suffered from underlying health conditions.
Milton Keynes Hospital staff treating the patient have self-isolated and other patients on the ward have been isolated.
Doctors are awaiting official test results to confirm it the second UK death from coronavirus, the paper reported.
British Airways’ reports two staff infections
Meanwhile, two British Airways staff have contracted Covid-19. Morning Wire understands the two members of staff are baggage handlers at the airline.
“Public Health England (PHE) has confirmed that two members of our staff, have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus,” a British Airways spokesperson told City A.M.
Both British Airways staff have self-isolated and are now recovering at home.
Yesterday the UK confirmed the death of an elderly woman in Reading. She had underlying health problems and had been “in and out of hospital” for various reasons.
She returned a positive coronavirus test when she entered hospital on Wednesday.
The number of UK coronavirus cases now stands at 116 after the UK recorded 30 new coronavirus cases yesterday. London now counts 25 cases. Canary Wharf institution HSBC evacuated an entire floor of its 45-stoey Canary Wharf HQ yesterday after a research analyst contracted coronavirus.
S&P then sent 1,100 staff to work from home after the HSBC employee had visited the company before reporting symptoms.
Deloitte also had a coronavirus case earlier this week.
The UK has warned the number of UK coronavirus cases is likely to spike. And the UK has now seen two consecutive days where cases have jumped by at least 30.
More to follow.
Global coronavirus infections pass 100,000
It came as the global number of coronavirus cases surpassed 100,000 today, as the death toll continued to rise and the UK committed £46m to research into a vaccine.
The world’s total number of coronavirus cases stood at 100,113 this afternoon, according to John Hopkins University’s coronavirus live count.
The death toll stood at 3,398.
Italy has counted Europe’s biggest coronavirus outbreak with 3,858 cases and 148 deaths. It is now the country with the highest number of Covid-19 infections outside China.
Wuhan, the city in China where the coronavirus outbreak began, has counted 126 new cases. But the Hubei province contained within it reported no new infections, according to the country’s National Health Commission.
The new figures arrived as the UK committed £46m on testing vaccines and researching coronavirus treatments.
“Keeping the British people safe is my number one priority, and that’s why I’ve set out our four-part plan to contain, delay, mitigate and research coronavirus,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
He added:
We are ensuring the country is prepared for the current outbreak, guided by the science at every stage. But we also need to invest now in researching the vaccines that could help prevent future outbreaks.
I’m very proud that UK experts – backed by government funding – are on the front line of global efforts to do just that.
Covid-19 cases in the UK have risen to 116, with one death so far.
The UK is already funding research into eight possible coronavirus vaccines. The new funding will also help scientists research a quicker diagnostic test for Covid-19. The current coronavirus test can take days to determine whether somebody has the illness.
The £46m brings current UK investment into Covid-19 research to £65m and a total £91m in funding for international work to stem the spread of coronavirus.
More to follow.
UK considers isolating households
The government’s chief scientific adviser has said that the government is “looking at” isolating whole households as it looks to contain the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Speaking to Sky News, Sir Patrick Vallance said the measure was among “more extreme” action being planned by the government after the UK suffered its first fatality from the case yesterday.
There have now been 116 cases recorded in the UK, with nearly 18,000 people tested thus far.
Cruise operator Carnival saw its stock fall five per cent this morning after one of its cruise ships was barred from mooring in San Francisco after an outbreak of Covid-19 onboard.
142 British national are among the 2,500 people aboard the Grand Princess, which is being held off California after a passenger died.
In total, there are 21 more cases, 10 of which are crew members, aboard the ship.
A member of the California state assembly said that the ship could be kept in quarantine offshore for up to two weeks.
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Vatican reports first coronavirus case
In Europe, the Vatican has reported its first case of coronavirus today as the rate of infection sped up in Italy, where the death toll now stands at 148.
The person in question works in the city state’s health services, which have been suspended while the Vatican sanitises its clinics.
The Vatican’s spokesman did not give any further details about the patient, who may well live outside of the boundaries of the tiny nation.
He added that Pope Francis was suffering from a cold, but had no other symptoms. The Pope has cancelled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy.
According to data from John Hopkins University, Italy is now the country were the disease is fastest spreading, recording 769 cases on Thursday.
The surge means that Italy, which has recorded the most deaths outside of China’s Hubei province, has confirmed a total of 3,858 cases.
Dutch media also said that the Netherlands had recorded its first death from the virus today, an 86-year-old man who had been in hospital in Amsterdam.