UK Coronavirus Death Toll Rises by 586 in Latest Update
The UK recorded another brutal leap in coronavirus fatalities today (April 28, 2020), with 586 new deaths confirmed. The grim total across the UK now stands at 21,679.
England Bears the Brunt
- England: 546 new deaths, pushing the total to 19,295.
- Wales: 17 new deaths, with 813 deaths overall.
- Northern Ireland: 10 new deaths, taking the total to 309.
- Scotland: 13 new deaths reported today, 1,262 total before the latest update.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s health authorities updated their count, reporting 70 new deaths today, bringing Scotland’s total to 1,332. There are now 126 patients in ICU across Scotland.
Scotland’s COVID-19 Pressure Points
- 3,460 calls to NHS 111, plus 495 to the Coronavirus Helpline on April 27. Note: 111 call volume includes all queries, not just COVID-19.
- Scottish Ambulance Service attended 1,531 calls; 343 were suspected COVID-19 cases.
- 225 patients with suspected coronavirus were taken to hospital by ambulance.
- Hospital delays have fallen dramatically to 580 patients—a 1,032 reduction since early March, beating targets set for end of April.
Care Homes Still in Crisis
- 538 adult care homes (50%) reported at least one suspected COVID-19 case to the Care Inspectorate.
- 354 care homes have multiple suspected cases.
- 384 care homes (35%) currently face outbreaks, where residents have shown symptoms in the last 14 days.
- The cumulative suspected cases in care homes hit 2,935, an increase of 204 since yesterday.
Staff Shortages Hit NHS Hard
The NHS workforce continues to take a hit with 6,774 staff absent, accounting for around 4.1% of personnel, due to COVID-19 related issues.
On a positive note, 2,448 patients have been discharged from hospital since March 5 after testing positive for COVID-19—up from 2,380 yesterday.
