One new coronavirus death in Shropshire as England death toll rises by 866
One more Shropshire coronavirus patient was confirmed to have died as the death toll in England increased by 866.
The death of the patient, confirmed on Friday, means that 37 people have now died with the virus at either Princess Royal Hospital Telford or Royal Shrewsbury Hospital since the outbreak began.
The patient included in Friday's figures died in the care of Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust on Wednesday.
It means 38 people have died in the county after testing positive for Covid-19, with one patient dying at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry.
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The total death toll in the UK rose by 980 on Friday, the highest daily increase yet, to a figure of 8,958.
Meanwhile the England death toll now stands at 8,114 after 866 more coronavirus patients were confirmed to have died in hospital by NHS England.
Of these 56, the youngest of which was aged 40, had no known underlying health condition.
In Wales a further 29 deaths were reported today, taking the total in the country to 315. The total in Scotland has reached 495.
The number of cases confirmed in Powys has also risen to 69.
Boris Johnson update
The new figures were released as an expert said Boris Johnson is likely to feel as if he has been “hit by several buses” and will need time to recover from Covid-19.
Becoming ill enough to warrant a stay in intensive care leaves a patient “weak and exhausted” for a “significant” period of time, according to a consultant virologist.
Dr Chris Smith, from the University of Cambridge, who is also presenter of the Naked Scientists podcast, said that when the Prime Minister is fit enough to be discharged from hospital it is likely he will do so with instructions to take it easy for several weeks.
The comments came as Mr Johnson’s father, Stanley, said his son “almost took one for the team” and will need a period of rest before he can “pick up the reins” at Number 10.
The Prime Minister has returned to a ward at St Thomas’ Hospital in London after spending three nights in intensive care being treated for symptoms of the coronavirus.
Mr Johnson was again said to be in “very good spirits” after being discharged from the ICU, Downing Street has said.
A spokesman said: “The Prime Minister is back on a ward and continuing his recovery, which is at an early stage. He continues to be in very good spirits.”
A Downing Street spokesman also backed Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, saying he is confident the Housing Secretary “complied with the social distancing rules” when visiting his elderly parents in Shropshire.
Meanwhile the First Minister of Wales said he will not be bound by Westminster over when to end lockdown measures as he warned that restrictions could get worse if people flout social distancing rules.
