UK's official coronavirus death toll rises by 269 to 31,855
10 May 2020, 16:48
A further 269 people have died from coronavirus in the UK, official government figures show.
The latest figures from the Department of Health show that a total of 31,855 people died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Saturday, up by 269 from 31,586 the day before.
The figure for total deaths issued on Saturday was reduced by one (from 31,587) after Northern Ireland removed a previously reported death from its statistics, the Department of Health said.
Read more: Boris Johnson announces six new lockdown 'rules' ahead of announcement to the nation
But the number of deaths involving Covid-19 that have been registered across the UK currently stands at 33,021.
This includes 29,710 deaths that occurred in England and Wales up to April 24 (and which had been registered up to May 2), according to the Office for National Statistics.
Today's figures from NHS England show that a further 3,782 hospital patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 died between April 25 and May 9 - which, together with the total figure of 33,021 registered deaths, suggests the overall death toll for the UK has now passed 36,800.
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The news comes ahead of Boris Johnson's address to the nation where he will announce measures for the current lockdown to start to be eased.
On Sunday evening Boris Johnson will unveil a coronavirus warning system as he outlines his plans to gradually ease the lockdown while dropping the "stay home" slogan.
The Prime Minister will instead tell the country to "stay alert, control the virus and save lives" when he outlines his "road map" to a new normality during an address to the nation on Sunday.
Mr Johnson is planning to urge workers who cannot do their jobs from home to begin returning to their workplaces while following social-distancing rules.
Meanwhile, across the globe coronavirus has infected more than 4 million people and killed over 279,000, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
