Elderly man first Coronavirus death in UK (Updated)

One patient with underlying health conditions has died after testing positive for coronavirus, the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust said.

The Telegraph reports that the elderly patient with underlying health conditions has become the first person to die in the UK having been diagnosed with coronavirus.

“The patient has previously been in and out of hospital for non-coronavirus reasons, but on this occasion was admitted and last night tested positive for coronavirus,” the  statement from the Trust said.

It is not yet known if coronavirus was the cause of death. It comes as 115 people in the UK have now tested positive for the virus as of Thursday afternoon.

“I am very sorry to report a patient in England who tested positive for Covid-19 has sadly died,” said Prof Whitty.

“I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their request for privacy is respected.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “his sympathies are with victim and their family” but the UK was “still in the contain phase” – the first stage of the government’s response to the outbreak.

Via Telegraph / BBC