UK virus deaths at 35 as elderly face 4-month self-isolation

LONDON: The UK’s coronavirus death toll rose to 35 as it was revealed the government will ask elderly people to self-isolate for up to four months.

The Department of Health said 14 more patients have died in England after testing positive for Covid-19. This follows the 10 deaths announced on Saturday. A total of 34 people have died from the virus in England, while there has been one death in Scotland.

NHS England said the patients whose deaths were announced on Sunday were aged between 59 and 94, and they had underlying health conditions. They were being cared for at the following: Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Mid Essex Hospital Service NHS Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, North Manchester General Hospital, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

There have been a total of 1,372 positive tests for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Sunday, up from 1,140 at the same time on Saturday, the DoH said. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people aged over 70 will be asked in the coming weeks to self-isolate for up to four months, in order to protect them from the virus.

Asked if that time frame was in the government’s plan, he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “That is in the action plan, yes, and we will be setting it out with more detail when it is the right time to do so, because we absolutely appreciate that it is a very big ask of the elderly and the vulnerable, and it’s for their own self-protection.”

Pressed on when the measure will be introduced, he said: “Certainly in the coming weeks, absolutely.” Hancock added: “The measures that we’re taking, the measures that we’re looking at taking, are very, very significant and they will disrupt the ordinary lives of almost everybody in the country in order to tackle this virus.”