21-year-old woman reportedly dies from coronavirus in UK
A 21-year-old woman is reportedly the youngest person with no pre-existing medical conditions to have died after contracting coronavirus in the UK.
Chloe Middleton, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, is believed to have died on 21 March.
In a Facebook post her mother, Diane Middleton, said: “To all the people out there that thinks it’s just a virus please think again speaking from a personal experience this so called virus has taken the life of my 21 year old daughter”.
Her aunt, Emily Mistry, added: My beautiful, kind hearted 21 year old niece (Chloe) has passed away from COVID19. She had no underlying health issues.
“My loved ones are going through the most unimaginable pain, we are shattered beyond belief.”
“The reality of this virus is only just unfolding before our very eyes,” she added. “Please, please adhere to government guidelines. DO YOUR BIT. Protect yourselves and protect others!”
Sign up to Morning Wire’s Midday Update newsletter, delivered to your inbox every lunchtime
Brits warned to stay home to avoid UK coronavirus outbreak
On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson increased measures to enforce social distancing to stem the spread of coronavirus in the UK.
He told Brits to only leave their homes for “essential purposes”. Those include buying essential food and exercising once a day.
In a national address, the PM said: “Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope.”
The police will have the power to enforce the lockdown across the UK. That rules out public gatherings of more than two people. It also forces non-essential stores to close, as the coronavirus crisis accelerates.
Yesterday the UK coronavirus death toll rose by 87 to 422, its biggest daily increase. The number of confirmed cases jumped to 8,077.
Over the weekend, an 18-year-old boy died from contracting coronavirus in the UK. He received treatment for an underlying health condition.
Get the news as it happens by following Morning Wire on Twitter.