UK reports record 381 coronavirus deaths, including 13-year-old boy
01 April, 2020
Britain reported an archive daily coronavirus toll of 381 on Tuesday, including a 13-year-old boy, a lot more than double the quantity of nationwide deaths posted in the previous 24 hours.
The boy, who died Monday at King's College Hospital in London, is believed to be Britain's youngest confirmed death in the coronavirus pandemic, with relatives saying he previously no underlying illnesses.
The country's previous highest daily toll was 260, recorded on Saturday, with the quantity dropping to 180 on Monday.
Some 25,150 people have finally tested positive for the virus in Britain, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
By 5:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) on March 30, 1,789 persons have died, medical ministry said on its Twitter page.
But data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for England and Wales on Tuesday revealed that the real toll could possibly be 24 percent higher.
The government figures cover those who have been taken up to hospital and tested for the virus whereas the ONS data is for deaths in the community where COVID-19 is suspected.
The boy's family said Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab "started showing symptoms and had difficulties breathing" before he was admitted to hospital.
"He was placed on a ventilator and placed into an induced coma but sadly died yesterday morning," they said through a family friend, Mark Stephenson, adding: "We are beyond devastated."
Johnson told the cabinet via video link that the rising toll "showed the essential importance of the public continuing to stick to the social distancing guidance which includes been set up by the federal government."
"The situation is going to get worse before it gets better -- nonetheless it are certain to get better," he added.
'Green shoots'
The government last Monday ordered a three-week lockdown, shutting non-essential shops and services in reducing contacts and relieve the burden on the National Health Service.
Stephen Powis, medical director for the NHS in England, said that despite the latest fatality figures, overall there have been "green shoots" since the rate of infections was slowing.
But he added: "It's important not to read too much into this. It's start. We're not from the woods," he told a daily briefing on the government response to the outbreak.
"And it's important that people keep complying with those [social distancing] instructions."
Cambridge University professor David Spiegelhalter agreed that "great caution" was needed in interpreting daily figures.
"The extreme day-to-day variation in reported COVID-19 deaths is far more than we'd expect from chance variability and should be because of reporting practices," he said.
"Some deaths occurred a number of days ago, and there appears to be fewer reported over the weekend."
Scientists say the entire effects of the lockdown are anticipated to be observed in 2-3 weeks, with predictions that life might not exactly go back to normal for at least six months.
Britain has braced for an expected surge in coronavirus cases, including establishing a 4,000-bed field hospital at a huge London exhibition center -- one of four across the country.
But senior minister Michael Gove said there is "not a fixed date like Easter when you understand that the peak should come".
Source: www.thejakartapost.com
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