The number of people who have died in the UK after contracting the coronavirus has hit 1,415, following 180 more deaths. he announcement was made by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at the daily Downing Street briefing on the coronavirus
The latest increase is down from yesterday’s rise of 207. The Department of Health and Social Care said 1,408 had now died – but that does not include six more deaths announced earlier in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile the government of Great Britain also announced that it committing £75m to help Britons stranded abroad by chartering rescue flights when there are no other routes available.
Channel 4 News reported that an email sent to staff at one of London’s biggest hospitals suggested the daily tally, made public by the Government, did not tally with the actual number killed by Covid-19.
The Telegraph reported that the message, sent to staff at King’s College Hospital Trust, said: “The number of deaths reported at King’s in national figures is below what they are experiencing. It is not just King’s but a number of other trusts, and the centre has been made aware.”
Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, insisted the Government was being transparent and said the cause of death needed to be ascertained before being included in official figures.
“Every death that we have is a really sad event that involves a family and a lot of sadness. We have to make sure that what we are reporting… that the family are content, and that all our data is absolutely accurate,” said Dr Harries.
