Coronavirus: 360 more COVID-19 deaths in UK hospitals - lowest daily rise in four weeks
The number of COVID-19 deaths in UK hospitals now stands at 21,092, as the PM says the UK is "beginning to turn the tide".
Monday 27 April 2020 22:42, UK
Another 360 people with coronavirus have died in UK hospitals - the lowest daily increase in confirmed deaths for four weeks.
A total of 21,092 hospital patients have now died in the UK after testing positive for COVID-19, the Department of Health said.
It came as Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the families of frontline NHS workers or social care staff who die from coronavirus will each receive a £60,000 payout.
The latest confirmed deaths include a 29-year-old who had no known underlying health conditions.
It is the smallest daily increase in COVID-19 deaths in UK hospitals since 30 March when 180 deaths were confirmed.
Monday's figure is also the smallest percentage increase on the previous day to date at 1.7%.
Earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is "beginning to turn the tide" in the fight against the virus, but he insisted it was not the time to relax the nationwide lockdown.
In England, 329 more coronavirus patients were confirmed to have died in hospitals, taking the country's total to 18,749.
A further 13 COVID-19 deaths in hospitals in Scotland were announced, with its total now at 1,262.
Wales reported another eight people with the virus had died in hospitals there, as the country's total rose to 796.
And in Northern Ireland, coronavirus deaths in hospitals increased by 10 to 309.
The figures do not include deaths in the community, such as those in care homes, with experts voicing concerns they are going "under the radar".
Health authorities in the four UK nations record their own daily figures, which may not tally with the government's overall UK total because they collate their numbers at different times throughout the day.
The latest coronavirus deaths in hospitals in England included:
- 87 in London
- 55 in the Midlands
- 55 in the North East and Yorkshire
- 41 in the North West
- 38 in the South East
- 23 in the East
- 19 in the South West
The director of NHS England revealed on Sunday that there is a "very definite trend" downwards in the number of people in hospital with coronavirus.
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Professor Stephen Powis told reporters at the daily Downing Street briefing that the trend was "most marked in London" but it could also be seen in the Midlands and it was starting in some other areas.
The proportion of critical care beds in UK taken by COVID-19 patients is also declining, Professor Powis said.