Coronavirus death toll in UK surpasses 20,000, total cases at 148,377

The death toll at the hospitals from COVID-19 in the UK surged past to 20,000 as of April 25 in a “tragic and terrible milestone”, the interior minister for the UK said at a press briefing. With the fifth-highest death toll globally after the United States, Italy, Spain, and France, the health experts suggested that the death rate in the UK will decline in another two weeks, as per media reports. 

Interior minister, Priti Patel, was also quoted saying that the country had not grown out of the crisis yet, and urged the Britons to comply with the home confinement measures. She said that the people must not “ignore” the seriousness of the situation and must, by all means, stay indoors and restrict movement to essential only. The data revealed that the usage of the transport had surged over the past weeks, she added. The government’s instructions remain the same, she said at the conference. Further, she added, staying at home would protect the NHS and save lives. 

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UK not "out of danger"

Further pleading Britons with respect to the death toll, Priti said that the government was aware that people were “frustrated”, however, the UK wasn’t out of danger yet, she warned. she stressed that it is imperative to follow rules. As of April 10, the death toll at the UK hospitals was lower by at least 40 per cent, as per the reports. The health ministry data, published as of April 25, revealed that over 28,760 tests were conducted, as contrary to the government's target of testing at least 100,000 people in a day.  

However, on a positive note, NHS had not been overwhelmed so much as the hospitals in other countries like the US have been, Stephen Powis, the medical director of the National Health Service (NHS) told the press conference. Healthcare systems were preparing to ramp up for the non-coronavirus treatments at the UK hospitals such as surgeries, he added. There was also a significant decline in the number of “critically ill” patients and that would be a “good outcome” from the virus pushing the system to its boundaries, Powis added.  

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