UK coronavirus death toll jumps by 938 to 7,097 in the biggest daily rise yet

8 April 2020, 14:26

By Nick Hardinges

@NHardinges

The number of people to have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus has jumped by 938 to 7,097 - the largest daily increase yet.

A further 5,491 people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the country's tally to 60,733.

It comes after 55,242 people were reported as contracting the virus as of Tuesday.

The 938 new deaths represent the largest 24-hour rise yet on the 6,159 deaths reported yesterday.

The number of people to have died in hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus is accurate as of 5pm 7 April.

Similarly, as of 9am 8 April, a total of 282,074 people have been tested of which 171,975 returned negative.

The reason behind the differing times is that the data comes from separate sources.

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A further 828 more coronavirus patients have died in hospitals in England, taking the total to 6,483, the NHS has announced.

Meanwhile, there have been 70 more deaths in Scotland, 33 more in Wales and a further five in Northern Ireland.

The latest figures come as No 10 said the three-week review of the UK's lockdown will take place "on or around" the three-week mark on Easter Monday, the date Mr Johnson committed to when he announced the measures last month.

Wales announced earlier that it will keep its lockdown in place past the Easter weekend.

The country's housing minister Julie James said a formal announcement about the lockdown extension would be made by First Minister Mark Drakeford later on Wednesday, but warned that the public's actions over the bank holiday would "shape Wales for years to come."

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