DEADLY RISE
UK coronavirus death toll rises by 761 to 12,868 with healthy 20-year-old among dead – and it doesn’t include care homes
CORONAVIRUS deaths in the UK have jumped to 12,868 today after 761 more people lost their lives - including a healthy 20-year-old.
The young victim was one of 20 patients killed by the deadly disease in hospital who had no underlying health conditions.
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The Department of Health confirmed the latest death toll for the UK is now at 12,868 - but the figures only include those who have died in hospital and not care home victims.
If deaths outside of hospital were factored in, the true death toll could be as much as 50 per cent higher - bringing the total close to 20,000, new figures suggest.
Among the latest deaths is a Border Force guard working at Heathrow Airport, who died from the disease last week after falling ill at work.
TV's Dr Hilary Jones also paid tribute to a paediatrician today who had saved the lives of his two children.
Dr Judith Darmady OBE, 84, is understood to have died from coronavirus - with at least 40 NHS workers falling victim to the bug.
Positive coronavirus cases today rose to 98,476 - up from 93,873 yesterday as Britain continues its fourth week of lockdown.
NHS England today confirmed 651 more people had died in hospital in England - bringing the total to 11,656.
In Scotland today, 84 more people have died - bringing their death toll to 699.
Wales has suffered 60 more deaths - with their total now at 463.
While in Northern Ireland, six more people have died - bringing the total to 140.
Pressure is now mounting on the government to report the number of hidden deaths outside hospital in their daily UK tally to get a better idea of the true death toll.
The Office for National Statistics found Covid-19 was responsible for 6,235 deaths in England and Wales by April 3 - including backdated hospital deaths and those who died elsewhere.
This figure is almost 2,000 higher than the official number reported by the Department of Health, which only records hospital deaths, on April 4.
The ONS found 217 care home deaths were linked to coronavirus by April 3 - ten times more than the 20 reported at the end of the previous week.
But some experts have warned as many as 4,000 care home residents may have lost their lives without their deaths being officially recorded yet.
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Yesterday, deaths in the UK reached 12,107 after 778 more people died from the disease.
But the true total could be higher due to a lag in reporting the figures over the weekend.
Previous weekends have seen official numbers fall, before they start to climb again the following week.
It comes as Britain could stay in lockdown until June over fears lifting the drastic measures too quickly could lead to a second wave of the pandemic.
Ministers are expected to back a three-week extension to lockdown tomorrow - but some feel pushing it to May or even June would be the right move.
But keeping it shut for too long risks a complete economic meltdown like experts have predicted.
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The full scale of the Covid-19 meltdown emerged in government figures, which predicted the country’s economy may be slashed by a record 35 per cent by June.
Unemployment could rocket to 3.4 million and the deficit may spiral to £218billion this year.
The figures, produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility, predict a slump not seen since the 1700s.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is now said to be pushing to have measures eased by next month to save the economy and stop up to two million people losing their jobs.
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According to a tally by AFP, there have been at least 1,003,284 cases, including 84,465 deaths, in Europe.
Globally, 1,991,019 COVID-19 infections and 125,955 deaths have been registered.
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Dr Hilary Jones pays an emotional tribute to Doctor Judith Darmady OBE who died after contracting coronavirus