UK confirms 41,903 COVID-19 cases with five-year-old among youngest victims
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Britain reached 41,903 as of Saturday morning, an increase of 3,735 in the past 24 hours, according to the latest figure from the Department of Health and Social Care.
As of Friday afternoon, of those hospitalized in Britain who tested positive for coronavirus, 4,313 have died, marking a record daily rise of 708, the figure from the department showed.
The department also confirmed that a five-year-old child, who had an underlying health condition, is the youngest in Britain to die from COVID-19.
At the government’s daily coronavirus press briefing, Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove said hundreds of new ventilators are being manufactured daily in Britain and 300 arrived from China on Saturday.
“More are coming into production in the coming weeks, subject to safety and regulatory approvals, as part of the Prime Minister’s call to manufacturers to scale up production,” he said.
Gove said the increasing death toll from COVID-19 shows “more than ever” that Britons must stick to the government’s lockdown measures.
“I know that life under lockdown can be challenging, and some will be tempted on this sunny weekend to venture out and about…If we relax our adherence to the rules, we increase the risk for others.”
Gove also urged people “to think of those on the front line and the sacrifices they’re making for us”, noting that seven healthcare professions have died from the virus.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Saturday launched a new Coronavirus Status Checker that will help the National Health Service (NHS) coordinate its response and build up additional data on the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Technology and data is playing a vital role in battling coronavirus and supporting our heroic NHS frontline workers to save lives, protect the vulnerable, and relive pressure on the NHS,” Hancock said.
“We must learn as much as possible about this virus, and we are asking the whole nation to join this effort,” he added.
People with potential coronavirus symptoms are now being asked to complete the status checker and answer a short series of questions which will tell the NHS about their experience.
It is open to anyone in Britain to use on the NHS website and in its initial phase the NHS is particularly keen for anyone who thinks they may be displaying potential coronavirus symptoms, no matter how mild, to complete it, the health department said in a statement.
