‘It’s a sombre day’: UK Covid-19 death toll hits 10,000 milestone as 737 new fatalities recorded

The official death toll from Covid-19 in the UK passed the 10,000 mark on Sunday as health officials announced 737 new fatalities from the disease. Health Minister Matt Hancock said it marks a “sombre day” for Britain.

The UK’s number of officially confirmed coronavirus deaths climbed to 10,612 after the fresh statistics were announced. 

It comes after the UK’s total number of deaths rose by 917 on Saturday and 980 on Friday. Unlike other countries, the UK only includes those who have died in hospitals in its fatality count. While Sunday’s increase was smaller than the two preceding days, previous weekends have also shown a dip in figures, and it can reflect delays in registering deaths.

Hancock said the UK passing the landmark figure is “extra tough,” but implored people to keep following the government restrictions in order to help the National Health Service.

“Today marks a sombre day in the impact of this disease as we join the list of countries who have seen more than 10,000 deaths related to coronavirus,” he told a news briefing.

At the start of this crisis, people said that the NHS would be overwhelmed. And we've seen the risk of that elsewhere, but not here.

England accounts for the vast majority of fatalities, with 9,594 people succumbing to the virus over the course of the outbreak so far.

It added 657 to its total on Sunday, while Scotland recorded a further 24 deaths, Wales 18 and Northern Ireland 11.

Health authorities in England said that the deaths announced on Sunday included 42 people aged between 30 and 98 who had no known underlying health conditions.

The UK’s death toll from Covid-19 spiralled in recent weeks after the government was slow to adopt restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

Friday’s figure was worse than any single day rise that Spain or Italy – currently Europe’s worst hit countries – have recorded. Only France has hit a higher rate of fatalities. However, the country includes deaths that occur in nursing homes in its totals.

Sunday also saw UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson discharged from hospital after a severe case of coronavirus. Downing Street said that Johnson continues to recover from the illness and will not yet return to work.

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