Yahoo News Coronavirus: UK death toll rises by 778 to 12,107
The UK’s coronavirus death toll has risen to 12,107, marking a rise of 778 from Monday’s figure of 11,329.
This is the first time in four days that the government’s daily death toll has increased.
After a record increase of 980 deaths on Friday, the daily death toll slowed down to 917 on Saturday, 737 on Sunday and 717 on Monday.
However, experts had previously warned the bank holiday weekend could have skewed tallying of the daily figures, as the number refers to the deaths recorded on one day, rather than the deaths which occurred on a particular date.
A death may not be recorded in the figures for some days, for example if a hospital needs to check a test result before they are sure a patient died of COVID-19.
University of Oxford Professor James Naismith said: “The bank holiday and the weekend could have exacerbated the known volatility in these numbers. We will have to see further data before making any firm judgment as to trends.”
As of 9am 14 April, 382,650 tests have concluded, with 14,982 tests on 13 April.
302,599 people have been tested of which 93,873 tested positive.
As of 5pm on 13 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 12,107 have sadly died. pic.twitter.com/xK3AdMiVZC— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) April 14, 2020
Meanwhile, the Department of Health said 93,873 people had tested positive for COVID-19 as of 9am on Tuesday. This is the sixth highest rate in the world.
Some 302,599 people have been tested.
It came as the government insisted it is on course to meet the daily COVID-19 testing target of 100,000, with the new “mega-lab” near Manchester now in operation and carrying out 500 tests, to join the Milton Keynes facility.
The Glasgow laboratory is due to begin work at the end of this week.
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Downing Street also said Boris Johnson is continuing his recovery at Chequers following the prime minister’s coronavirus ordeal in intensive care last week.
He has not been involved in making decisions, taking phone calls or receiving official papers.
Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The priority is for the PM to rest and recover and his medical team have advised him not to immediately return to work.”
Meanwhile, UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca revealed plans to launch a global clinical trial to look at using one of its drugs to help treat the immune response triggered by COVID-19 in severely ill patients.
It said it was testing Calquence – which is currently used to treat some blood cancers – after encouraging early clinical results suggested suppressing the inflammation caused by the immune response could reduce the respiratory harm caused by coronavirus.
This could cut deaths from COVID-19 and the need for ventilation in patients with life-threatening symptoms of the virus, AstraZeneca said.
