Coronavirus update: Death toll passes 12,000, only set to increase

Published by Ross Hindle on March 23rd 2020, 10:10am

The death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak has now reached 233 in the UK, news which came after the prime minister urged people to stay away from their families on Mother's Day.

He said the numbers were "very stark", and added that "unless we act together... it is all too likely that our NHS will be similarly overwhelmed".

No new measures were announced over the weekend but the conferences focused on hammering home the messages that had been the crux of last week's announcements -- namely that there is enough food for everyone, and that the responsibility lies with the public to suppress the spread of the virus.

Health secretary Matt Hancock has also said those who ignore advice around the virus are being "very selfish", and that the government would take "more action" if it was necessary.

Afro-Portuguese restaurant chain Nando's has announced it will be closing its doors, alongside fast food giant McDonalds, with the rationale that the decision will protect both staff and customers.

Confirmed cases across the world are approaching 350,000, with the crisis presently worst in Italy, where nearly 800 people were reported to have died from the virus on Sunday.

Elsewhere in Europe, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, asked citizens to stay indoors and said that the "worst is yet to come".

And for the third consecutive day, China has reported no new locally-transmitted cases -- although numbers do continue to rise as a result of "imported" cases where Chinese citizens return home from abroad.

The next Leaders Council update will follow this evening, after the Downing Street press conference.

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Ross Hindle
Content Director
March 23rd 2020, 10:10am

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