After a slight decline, the balance sheet is starting to rise again. The United Kingdom recorded on Tuesday 586 additional deaths from the new coronavirus, bringing the total toll to 21,678 in British hospitals. But this increase could continue with the prospect of a new formula for counting victims from Wednesday.
In detail, this Tuesday, the number of officially recognized contaminations reached 161,145 cases (+3,996), said the Minister of Health, Matt Hancock, at a press conference. After the weakest balance sheet since the end of March Monday (+ 360 dead), this rebound is not a surprise: the daily figures of the Ministry of Health are very volatile and often mark a drop during the weekend due to delays in registrations, followed by an upsurge.
A sharp rise to predict Wednesday
In addition, this assessment does not include deaths at home and especially in retirement homes, estimated at several thousand (more than 4,000 in England alone between April 10 and 24). However Matt Hancock said that the number of deaths related to the new coronavirus in retirement homes would now be published daily, which should translate into a marked increase in the balance sheet in the United Kingdom.
According to the Telegraph, the balance sheet could even become the largest in all of Europe.
The Minister of Health also indicated that tests would be available for those over 65 with symptoms and workers having to leave their homes.
At 11 am Tuesday, the British marked a minute of silence in tribute to the 85 carers of the NHS, the public health service, and the 19 social workers who died during the pandemic. “They are the dead heroes of the Nation,” said Matt Hancock.
A still “maximum” risk
If the trend of contamination and death is now down in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the risk remains “maximum” and called to continue to respect containment to avoid a new wave.
Faced with a crisis that is causing an economic and social slump, the conservative leader is under pressure to indicate a strategy for getting out of containment, established on March 23 and extended until May 7 at least. He promised decisions “in the coming days” on how to adapt the measures put in place in the future.
But a relaxation of containment?
According to the Telegraph, the government is about to announce a partial relaxation of containment, with the wearing of a mask highly recommended in stores.
