BRITAIN’S coronavirus death toll has jumped by 980 in the last 24 hours – making it the biggest rise yet and topping Spain’s worst day of their outbreak.
The grim figures from the Department of Health also reveal the total number of cases has risen to 70,272 – up from 65,077 infections yesterday.
During Spain’s worst day of their coronavirus outbreak, 961 people died.
The grim jump in deaths is also higher than virus-ravaged Italy’s worst day when 919 people died.
The Government today confirmed a total of 8,958 have died in the UK from coronavirus – making it the deadliest day so far.
England recorded further 866 people died – bringing the total number of deaths in England to 8,114.
The latest victims were aged between 27 and 100 – including 56 with no underlying health conditions.
In Scotland today, 48 more people have died – bringing their death toll to 495.
In Northern Ireland, there were 10 new deaths – bringing their total to 92.
Wales has recorded 29 further deaths – with their total now at 315.
The death toll continues to climb as officials believe new Covid-19 infections will peak on Easter Sunday and the NHS is braced for a “tsunami” of cases this weekend.
Scientists modelling the outbreak think tough social distancing measures have slowed the spread of the bug.
Hospital admissions are now predicted to start falling in around a fortnight, if Brits continue to stay at home.
And deaths are expected to stop rising by the end of April, allowing ministers to start looking at an exit strategy.
A Government source said: “They will only consider easing measures once deaths start to go down. We think that is three weeks away.”
Figures from the Department of Health have yet to be released – and are expected later today.
It comes as Brits continued to flout the rules after police warned people not to use the weather as an excuse to break the lockdown rules.
People today were seen flocking to beaches and sunbathing in the 24C bank holiday sunshine.
Officials have repeatedly said that barbecues and sunbathing in parks and open spaces plus visits to the beach or sight-seeing are prohibited — as is having friends round.
The grim death toll has risen and fallen since the lockdown began three weeks ago – although some of this is due to recording issues with the Department of Health.
Before falling ill with coronavirus, PM Boris Johnson pledged to review lockdown on Easter Monday, April 13 — three weeks after it began on March 23.
The Government will formally set an extension early next week — after analysing three weeks’ data.
The Sun is raising funds through our Who Cares Wins Appeal. It pays for crucial services for NHS staff — from providing food and care packs to giving them somewhere to rest.
Separate figures released on Tuesday revealed coronavirus was responsible for one in 20 deaths in the UK.
The numbers from the Office of National Statistics show 501 virus victims died in hospital in the week up to March 27 – meaning 38 others were killed by the disease while at home.
Last week, the ONS revealed there had been at least 40 deaths at home up to March 20 – so 78 are believed to have died from the virus outside of hospital so far.
