14 more coronavirus deaths in UK and 232 new cases – Liverpool Echo

Fourteen more people have died after contracting coronavirus in the UK bringing the total to 35.

Some 1,372 UK coronavirus cases have now been confirmed by Public Health England, with a total of 40,279 people tested.

In an announcement made on the Department of Health and Social Care Twitter account, the government confirmed 38,907 of those tested were negative.

This jump in positive cases represents 232 new cases diagnosed, up from 1,140 yesterday

There are currently estimated to be at least 14 confirmed cases in the Merseyside region.

This is made up of 6 in Liverpool, 5 in Wirral, 1 in Sefton and 1 in St Helens, with one case in Warrington.

Figures are expected to rise this afternoon when a regional breakdown is released for Sunday – as these figures were released on Saturday March 14.

All Premier League fixtures are suspended, the London Marathon is postponed and the Masters has been called off.

But the Liverpool half-marathon went ahead today as planned, with runners taking part in the race as normal.

Thousands of holidays were cancelled by tour operators Jet2 and TUI on Saturday, with flights to Spain turning around mid-air.

One of the UK deaths from the virus was a man in his 80s with underlying health conditions at The Countess of Chester Hospital.

Chester Council’s Director of Public, Ian Ashworth said: “It’s with sadness that we and our health partners today confirm that a man with COVID-19, who was being cared for at The Countess of Chester Hospital, has died.

“The patient was in his 80s with underlying health conditions. His family has been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is advising against all but essential travel to Malta, due to travel restrictions put in place by the Maltese Government.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the country has moved into the next phase of the fight against coronavirus, the delay phase.

In a sobering message to the country he said: “”We’ve all got to be clear, this is the worst public health crisis for a generation.”

“It is going to spread further and I must level with you, I must level with the British public: many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”

The government is preparing to roll out new ‘wartime-style’ measures in an attempt to reduce pressure on the NHS and tackle the coronavirus pandemic .

In response to the virus, the government is preparing to implement drastic measures which will affect everyday life over the coming weeks.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock earlier used an article in the Sunday Telegraph to liken the coronavirus crisis to World War Two.

The plans could see pubs forced to close, the over-70s told to self-isolate for months and the military called in help local police forces and to ensure people are able to access food and fuel.

Elderly people in Britain could be told to self-isolate for four months to combat the coronavirus outbreak – even if they are not ill.

The move could be enforced ‘within weeks’ and would form part of a series of measures unprecedented in peacetime Britain.

Briefings received by ITV’s political editor Robert Peston suggest that people over 70 will be instructed to keep themselves in strict isolation.

Relatives who aren’t showing any symptoms would still be allowed to visit, as long as they maintained a distance of two metres.

Groceries and vital medication would need to be delivered to those unable to leave their homes.

Boris Johnson ordered the NHS to buy up thousands of private hospital beds as the coronavirus death toll doubled.

It means 8,000 private hospital beds will be used to relieve pressure on the NHS in England, Wales Online reports.

The plan to pay the private sector £300 a day for a bed followed demands by Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth and the GMB union.

Other drastic measures could include using hotels as temporary hospitals, privately-run hospitals being converted into emergency medical care centres and commissioning several companies to make respirators that can keep acutely ill victims alive.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said car manufacturers, weapon makers and army suppliers would be asked to change their production lines to make ventilators for use in hospitals treating coronavirus – which can cause severe breathing problems.

The health service is to stop non-urgent surgery and implement a huge training programme to retrain medics from other specialisms to treat those who become seriously ill with the Covid-19 disease.

The PM has told health equipment firms to move heaven and earth to churn out as many life-saving ventilators as they can.