UK reports more than 100 coronavirus deaths in a day

Fatalities in the UK from coronavirus have surged by more than 100 in a day for the first time.

The death toll has jumped from 475 to 578, health officials have confirmed on Thursday.

A total of 104,866 people have been tested, of whom 93,208 tested negative and 11,568 were positive, the officials added.

Earlier, the BBC cited a senior hospital figure as saying that London hospitals are facing a “tsunami” of coronavirus cases and are beginning to run out of intensive care beds.

Chris Hopson of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, told the BBC that while critical care capacity had been expanded, hospitals in the capital had witnessed an “explosion” in demand.

A third of the UK cases have been diagnosed in the city, according to the BBC.

The UK government has earlier on Thursday announced emergency measures to support self-employed people amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“You have not been forgotten,” British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak said during a press conference.
Pressure has grown on the UK government to act to support self-employed people, many of whom have their work dry up due to a national lockdown, which aimed to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.