Britain’s coronavirus death toll today jumped dramatically to 759 in the biggest daily rise yet – as the Government promised to start testing frontline NHS staff for the life-threatening infection this weekend.
Health chiefs declared 181 new deaths and 2,921 cases of the deadly virus across the home nations, taking the UK’s total infected count to almost 15,000 as the crisis continues to spiral out of control.
Britain’s darkest day in the coronavirus outbreak beats yesterday’s record high figures of 113 new deaths and 2,129 cases of the virus, which has been spreading on British soil for a month.
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted they had tested positive for COVID-19, with England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty also displaying symptoms.
Chairing this evening’s Downing Street press conference in their absence, Michael Gove claimed hundreds of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline will be tested for the killer virus by ‘the end of the weekend’.
He revealed the trial of antigen tests – which can tell if someone has the infection immediately – will be scaled up next week.
The announcement comes amid a furious row over the UK’s lacklustre testing policy, which has seen only patients in hospital get tested – even NHS workers have been deprived tests. It means the true scale of the UK’s outbreak is a mystery.
In another frantic day of developments in the battle against coronavirus:
- A council is facing a furious backlash after targeting members of the public with drones to order people back inside;
- Lawyers warned that police are ‘unlawfully’ trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs;
- Pressure grew on the government to go further to help millions of self-employed after the Chancellor admitted a bailout will not be up and running until June;
- Buckingham Palace has said the Queen remains in ‘good health’ and has not seen the infected Prime Minister since March 11;
- A 76-year-old GP in Essex is feared to have become the first doctor in the UK to die after contracting the coronavirus;
- Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley apologised for ‘ill-judged and poorly timed’ emails that claimed Sports Direct was an essential operator;
- British supermarkets said they will use a government database of 1.5million vulnerable shoppers to help prioritise delivery slots;
- It emerged the UK did not participate in an European Union scheme for sourcing more ventilators quickly because of an email mix-up.
Coronavirus arrived at the heart of power today as both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock dramatically announced they are suffering from the disease
England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Christ Whitty – who is leading the UK’s fight against the outbreak – is also self-isolating at home after coming down with mild symptoms
The daily death count is not only a count from overnight – the toll includes fatalities hospitals have only just processed, for example patients whose post-mortems have just come back.
Government scientists have admitted there is likely to be 1,000 infected patients for every death recorded in Britain – suggesting the true toll is in the region of 600,000.
Mr Gove announced that increased ‘antigen testing’, developed in partnership between UK businesses, research institutes and universities, will be rolled out ‘immediately’ to those working in hospitals and social care.
He said the testing would ‘dramatically’ scale up next week, allowing key workers to ‘have security in the knowledge that they can safely return to work if their test is negative’.
Antigens are parts of a virus that trigger the immune system’s response to fight the infection, and can show up in blood before antibodies are made.
The key advantage of antigen tests is that it can take several days for the immune system to develop enough antibodies to be picked up by a test, whereas antigens can be seen almost immediately after infection.
Antigen tests are used to diagnose patients with flu, as well as malaria, strep A and HIV.
The announcement comes after a major row over a lack of tests, particularly for healthcare workers who are critical to prevent the NHS from becoming overwhelmed during the crisis.
Statistics show the UK is still testing less than 10,000 people every day. In the last 24 hours just 8,911 were checked for the bug, and on Thursday it was 7,847.
Thousands of healthcare workers are stuck at home self-isolating, despite showing no symptoms, because of Government guidelines which state people must not go to work if a family member has fallen ill.
But many of them will not have the virus and could be in hospitals helping to fight the crisis.
On Tuesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock assured medics he had ordered 3.5 million revolutionary ‘antibody’ tests that could be available to them within days.
But in a major u-turn, Government sources now claim the agreement was ‘only ever in principle’ after experts said it could be weeks until the tests are ready for mass use.
Several different companies have been approached over contributing to the 3.5 million tests needed – including the makers of an HIV self screening kit and a £6 finger prick device that works like a pregnancy test. But none is yet ready to supply them.
Manufacturers said they were working around the clock to develop the devices, which can tell someone within 15 minutes whether they are immune to reinfection.
In a major blow for the Government, they said it will be three weeks at the earliest before tests are available.
It comes after Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced they are suffering from the disease.
Speculation is now rampant over who else might be infected at the highest echelons of the state. The politicians are believed to have carried out a slew of face-to-face meetings over the past week.
But Downing Street insists there is no need for other ministers or officials to get checked unless they start displaying symptoms.
The drama kicked off this morning when Mr Johnson declared he had coronavirus. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty advised him to get a test after he developed a temperature and cough yesterday afternoon.
The 55-year-old insisted he only has ‘mild’ symptoms’, and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference.
The PM will stay in his flat in No11 – from where he chaired a meeting of the ‘war Cabinet’ this morning – and aides will leave meals and work outside the door.
Within hours Mr Hancock then revealed he also has the virus. ‘I’ve tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I’m working from home & self-isolating,’ he tweeted.
Mr Hancock had been expected to appear at the daily government press briefing this evening, but Michael Gove is now likely to fill in.
Despite the government’s own guidance saying people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their ‘household’ develops symptoms, no senior figures – such as Chancellor Rishi Sunak who was with the PM last night or chief aide Dominic Cummings – are thought to be going into isolation. Mr Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from Downing Street today carrying a rucksack.
Mr Johnson’s pregnant partner Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation, although it is not known when they last saw each other or if she has been checked.
In a video, Mr Johnson said: ‘Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test.
‘That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating.
‘That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.’
North Yorkshire: Sgt Paul Cording from North Yorkshire Police conducts a road check to convey the government’s ‘stay-at-home’ message, in Harrogate
Peak District: Derbyshire Police issue a warning to two walkers near Mam Tor in the Peak District this morning
London: A police officer speaks to a couple sat at a bench in the sunshine in Greenwich Park
Downing Street has previously said that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will fill in if the PM is incapacitated, although there is little sign that he has stopped working.
A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.
‘The test was carried out in No10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.
‘In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.
‘He is continuing to lead the government’s response to coronavirus.’
The PM’s spokesman said he would be carry out ‘all of the same functions he was performing before’ and ‘the only difference is he will now have to do that via teleconferencing’.
Mr Johnson’s diagnosis was confirmed around midnight last night.
Mr Hancock said in a video message recorded at his home that he would be self-isolating until next Thursday.
‘Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I’ve been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response.
He also said a ‘massive thank you to everybody in the NHS, working in social care and right across the board on the response’.
‘I’ll be continuing to do everything I can to get our carers the support that they need. And I’ll be doing that from here but with no less gusto.’
‘And then from next Thursday, once I’m out of self-isolation and I hope with no more symptoms, then I’ll be able to get back stuck in and into the office where necessary.
Dr Habib Zaidi, 76, (pictured) fell ill on Tuesday and died in intensive care at Southend Hospital in Essex on Wednesday
Dr Zaidi’s entire immediate family work in the medical profession. His wife Dr Talat Zaidi (left) helps manage their Eastwood Group Practice in Leigh-on-Sea and one of their daughters Dr Sarah Zaidi (right) is also a family GP
‘But the truth is that all of us can learn that working from home can be really, really effective.’
London is regarded as the engine of the outbreak in the UK, and many at Westminster have been struck down with symptoms.
Health minister Nadine Dorries was the first confirmed MP case, and has since recovered and returned to work.
Prince Charles was confirmed as infected with coronavirus earlier this week.
The declared UK death toll rose by 113 to 578 yesterday – the steepest increase yet.
Mr Johnson was outside No10 last night alonside Mr Sunak applauding NHS workers who are combating the virus, in a national show of appreciation.
His spokesman said he thought it was ‘important’ to take part in NHS clap, and he stayed a ‘very significant distance from the Chancellor’.
He chaired a remote meeting of the coronavirus ‘war cabinet’ this morning.
Mr Johnson took PMQs in the Commons on Wednesday, which could raise fears other politicians have been infected, even though people have been well spaced out in the chamber.
Cabinet on Tuesday was also carried out over video conference.
However, senior officials including Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill were close to the PM in Downing Street for the meeting.
Health care officials hope the new 4,000 temporary hospital will help take the strain off existing hospitals which are dealing with an influx of new patients due to coronavirus
Military planners are working with Health Service officials to create the new hospital from scratch to accommodate rising numbers of patients. Pictured a lorry brings in beds for the new temporary hospital at the ExCel centre
Military personnel move supplies at the ExCel centre in London which is being made into a temporary hospital – the NHS Nightingale hospital
Downing Street said the advice to staff is they don’t need to do anything unless they suspect they have symptoms, and then they should follow isolation guidance.
Asked if Chancellor or other senior people have been tested, the PM’s spokesman said: ‘I am not aware of any further testing.’
‘Here in Number 10 we have been observing the advice on social distancing,’ the spokesman said.
Meals or work will be left for the PM in No11, with officials knocking on the door and then ‘safely departing’.
Mr Johnson has not taken any of the regular government press conferences this week.
His audience with the Queen, aged 93, was conducted by telephone. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘Her Majesty the Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw the Prime Minister on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare.’
On Monday he gave a dramatic address to the nation in which he declared that the country had to go into lockdown, with no-one leaving their houses unless absolutely necessary,
Mr Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds is pregnant and is thought to have been self-isolating in line with government advice.
Ms Symonds, 32, who is believed to be six months pregnant with the baby due in the early summer, was last seen in Downing Street over the weekend and is likely to have left to protect herself.
She now faces an anxious wait to see if she has been exposed to coronavirus, with pregnant women are more likely to catch an infection than women who are not pregnant.
Meanwhile scientists have warned seven thousand people could still die of the coronavirus in the UK even though the country is in lockdown.
A paper by Imperial College London has predicted that if the country follows the same trajectory as China did, it could see between 4,700 and 7,100 deaths.
And the peak of the outbreak, which could see between 210 and 330 people die in a single day, could happen next Sunday on April 5, it predicted.
The study estimated that the true death figure would be around 5,700 – the figure is considerably lower than the 20,000 warned about in the doomsday scenario paper which convinced the Government to tighten up its efforts to stop the virus
That claim, published by Professor Neil Ferguson, one of the Government’s leading COVID-19 advisers, warned that tens of thousands could die if people weren’t forced to stay at home.
A new projection from the same university, developed by engineer Professor Tom Pike, compared eight countries’ death rates to China’s after Beijing put the nation into shutdown.
It showed that up to 41,000 people could still die in the US, 60,000 in Spain, 32,000 in Italy and 23,000 in France.
It comes after another paper this week said countries around the world have averted disaster by sending their citizens into lockdown and that 40million could have died if they hadn’t.
More than a billion people worldwide are now in some form of lockdown as the number of confirmed coronavirus patients has soared past 500,000 – but the dramatic measures are saving millions of lives, said another study from Imperial.
It said that almost the entire world population – seven billion citizens – could have been infected if the virus was allowed to spread unchecked.