The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK increases by 602 as daily numbers drop significantly

The daily number of deaths in hospitals from coronavirus in the UK has decreased significantly with 602 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

Below 791 on Wednesday and 873 on Tuesday, it is the third-lowest single-day total since April 6 and the lowest on Thursday for three weeks.

The totals for the previous Thursday were 870 (April 16), 891 (April 9) and 569 (April 2).

It is the lowest recorded total in the UK on a day that has not lagged behind in reporting deaths over the weekend since early April.

The death toll in Britain is now 18,796 a day after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the country had reached the peak of its outbreak.

England reported 514 deaths on Thursday afternoon, Scotland recorded 58, Wales had 17 and Northern Ireland announced 13.

Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said a drop in the number of patients in hospitals and intensive care in Scotland was cause for “real optimism”, but that now is not the time to start lifting the closure and some measures could last until 2021.

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The latest figures were announced after reports that companies will be asked to stagger employee start times when restrictions are eased, and the principals union said the first “realistic” date schools in England could to reopen is June 1.

The Health Department released its official death toll on Thursday afternoon, and the daily total is slightly higher due to a delay in reporting.

The department said 616 new hospital deaths had been reported in the 24-hour-5pm period on Wednesday, bringing the country’s overall total to 18,738.

It read: “As of 9 am on April 23, 583,496 tests had been completed, with 23,560 tests on April 22.

“425,821 people have been evaluated, of which 138,078 tested positive.

“At 5pm on April 22, of those hospitalized in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 18,738 have sadly died.”

The death toll in England rises to 16,786

The NHS reported 514 new deaths in England, bringing the country’s total to 16,786.

Of the 514 new deaths announced:

– 111 occurred on April 22

– 216 occurred on April 21

– 75 occurred on April 20

The figures also show that 110 of the new deaths recorded occurred between April 1 and April 19, and the remaining two deaths occurred in March, with the earliest death occurring on March 25.

NHS England publishes daily updated figures showing the dates of each coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including previously uncounted deaths that occurred several days or even weeks ago.

This is due to the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as positive for Covid-19, for post-mortem exams to be processed, and for validation of test data.

Figures released today by NHS England show that April 8 currently has the highest total of most hospital deaths occurring in a single day: 831.

Downing Street has reaffirmed the need to maintain the coronavirus blockade after England’s medical director warned that “highly disruptive” social distancing measures were likely to be required until the end of the year.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said it was essential that the transmission rate, the so-called R number, be kept below one, meaning that, on average, any infected person passed it on to less than someone else.

“The key to this is not having a second peak. Having a second peak would be bad not only for health reasons but also bad for business and the economy,” the spokesperson said.

“We have to do everything we can to keep R below one and avoid that second spike.”

“In terms of the steps we will take in the coming weeks and months, we will be guided by scientific advice. It is not wise for me to anticipate that.”

Deaths rise to 1,120 in Scotland

In Scotland, 58 new deaths were announced, down to 1,120.

Sturgeon said 9,409 people tested positive for the virus in Scotland, 371 more than the 9,038 the day before.

There are 148 people in intensive care with coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms, a decrease of seven on Wednesday, he added.

There are 1,748 people in the hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, 28 fewer than the 1,776 the day before.

She said a drop in the number of people in the hospital and in intensive care was a cause of “real optimism.”

A new Scottish government report warned that any relief from coronavirus restrictions will not mean going back to how things were before the pandemic occurred.

He promises a reduction in the closure measures, which was made to try to slow the spread of the disease, which will “be carried out gradually and carefully.”

But the report stresses that people will need “to find a way to live with this virus.”

He also stated that “now is not the right time to relax the restrictions.”

Sturgeon said the Scottish government was “increasingly confident” that the measures implemented were helping to stop the spread of the virus, however, he added that some measures could be maintained for the rest of the year “and perhaps even beyond.”

Wales death toll rises to 641

Wales reported 17 new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths to 641, health officials said.

Public Health Wales said 234 other people had tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 8,358.

Only 816 tests were carried out on Wednesday, for a total of 28,904 in Wales. There is a current capacity for 1,800 daily tests.

Dr. Robin Howe of Public Health Wales said: “Based on the new case numbers, there is emerging evidence suggesting a leveling off in the number of new Covid-19 cases in Wales, which may be an indication of the effectiveness of the blocking measures.

“However, it is still too early to know for sure, and it is too early to end the current rules of social distancing.”

“Public Health Wales continues to fully support the extension of the blocking measures, which is essential to avoid reversing the progress we have made in slowing down the spread of this virus, protecting our NHS and saving lives.”

Dr. Andrew Goodall, executive director of NHS Wales, said at the Welsh Government’s daily briefing that things would not return to normal immediately after the coronavirus shutdown ended.

He said: “We are part of a UK approach in terms of the mechanisms in place for the blockade and we are still in that period for a couple more weeks.”

“If we assume that everything can return to normal because a closing date is over, that may not be the case.

“We are going to have to take a progressive approach to this.

“One of our concerns about the development of the virus is that while we have these encouraging signs at this stage, we must also ensure that we do not allow it to reoccur, particularly at some of the peaks described.”

Dr. Goodall said a pattern was developing in Wales showing “stabilization” in the number of cases, the need for intensive care beds and deaths.

He added: “These are encouraging signs reinforced by a pattern that is stronger in recent days.

“One of our concerns is that we have to continue the range of mechanisms in place because since we have had such a significant impact on the way the public has worked with us, including staying home, we have some concerns about what would happen is that we have a second peak or possibly a third peak.

“Our actions at this stage are to ensure that we can keep things stable and improving, but we will need to continue working with the general public.”

Dr. Goodall called for an “urgent investigation” to examine the growing evidence that Covid-19 is having a disproportionate impact on the Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority (BAME) community.

He said: “We believe that urgent research is needed to understand the factors involved.

“We have strong practices and policies to support our entire workforce and protect their health and well-being at work.

“We must ensure that we exercise our duty of care preventively to protect all staff and carry out appropriate risk assessments, including those of the BAME community, while exploring the evidence base.”

Death toll in Northern Ireland reaches 263

There have been 13 more deaths from patients who tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland, the health department announced.

This brings the total in the region to 263, according to today’s department.

The World Health Organization, meanwhile, has said that residents in long-term care facilities account for up to half of coronavirus-related deaths in Europe.

Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said a “deeply troubling picture” was emerging of the impact Covid-19 is having on those in care.

He told reporters: “This is an unimaginable human tragedy.”

When asked how many of the deaths in care homes in Europe were from the UK, Dr Catherine Smallwood said in the briefing that the WHO has not yet received the latest updated figures.