The UK today confirmed its first
coronavirus death in 'a woman in her 70s with underlying health
conditions', as the number of cases doubled in two days to 116 and
health chiefs revealed patients with mild symptoms will be asked to stay
at home instead of being treated in hospital.
The
patient, understood to be a 75-year-old woman, tested positive for the
killer infection last night at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading
before succumbing to the illness today. Elderly patients are known to be
at higher risk of suffering deadly complications because of their
weaker immune systems.
Prime Minister
Boris Johnson offered his sympathies to the patient's family, saying:
'Our sympathies are very much with the victim and their family.'
England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said he was 'very
sorry' to report the news and offered his 'sincere condolences' to the
family
Health chiefs fear the patient,
who had previously 'been in and out of hospital', caught the virus in
the UK because they had not recently travelled abroad – eight of the 29
cases confirmed today were patients who got infected on British soil.
Only 51 patients were known to have the infection two days ago
Forty-five
patients have already been told to self-isolate at home instead of
getting hospital treatment because they have minor flu-like symptoms,
amid mounting fears overwhelmed NHS hospitals won't be able to cope with
an inevitable outbreak.
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