Updated March 16th, 2020 at 03:34 IST

UK death toll at 35 now, nearly 200 new patients test positive for Coronavirus

Department of Health, UK has reportedly said that another 14 patients who tested positive for the Coronavirus outbreak have died bringing the total death to 35

Reported by: Sounak Mitra
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The UK's Department of Health has reported that another 14 patients who tested positive for the Coronavirus outbreak have died bringing the total death tally in the UK to 35. As per British media reports, a total of 1,372 positive tests for Coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK as of 9 am on March 15, which has increased from 1,140 at the same time on Saturday which is a sharp rise of 232, confirmed the department.

The death toll almost doubled rising from 11 to 21 on Saturday. The new figures came in soon after the British government decided to ask elderly people to self-isolate for a period of up to four months.

READ: UK Set To Quarantine Elderly Citizens Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Death toll stands at 34

The NHS has confirmed that those who died were aged between 59 and 94. All patients had underlying

Matt Hancock, the health secretary has reportedly said that people aged over 70 would be urged in the coming weeks to self-isolate for up to four months to prevent them from the deadly virus. The British Foreign Office announced on March 15 that it is now advising against “all but essential travel” to the United States as the unprecedented outbreak of Coronavirus continues to force countries to take precautionary measures. This also came in the light of travel restrictions placed by the US government on visitors from the UK. 

READ: UK National Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Stopped Along With 19 Others At Kochi Airport

US suspends travel from UK 

Even though initially, Britain was excluded from the travel restrictions introduced by the United States, its Vice President Mike Pence announced on March 14 that all travel from the UK and Ireland will also be suspended effective from March 16 (local time). Both UK and the US have reported 1,140 and 3,083 confirmed cases of Coronavirus respectively.

And while US has witnessed 60 deaths, UK's death toll remains at 35. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Coronavirus as a global pandemic after the virus spread to more than 156 countries, resulting in the deaths of more than 6,000 people worldwide.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom further even urged all nations to get very serious over the issue and take all necessary measures to contain the virus from spreading at this rate. Tedros said, that the word 'Pandemic' cannot be used lightly or carelessly due to its strong connotation. 

READ: UK Advises Against 'all But Essential Travel' To US Amid Coronavirus Scare

READ: UK Man Tests Positive For COVID-19 In Dubai-bound Flight, All 289 Passengers Off Loaded

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Published March 16th, 2020 at 02:01 IST