THE number of people who have died in UK hospitals due to coronavirus has now exceeded 20,000, the Department of Health has announced.
The figure for the 24-hour period up to 5pm on Friday was 813, taking the total number of deaths to 20,319.
This number does not include those people who have died in care homes, at home, in hospices or elsewhere in the community.
Home Secretary Priti Patel described the figure as a ’tragic and terrible milestone’ at the daily No.10 Downing Street briefing.
Last month, the government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, had said keeping deaths below 20,000 would be a ’good outcome’.
It is 51 days since the first virus-related death was announced in the UK.
Ms Patel added: ’The entire nation is grieving,’ and warned ’we are not out of the woods yet'.
She said people must continue to follow social distancing measures to curb the spread of the virus.