90 more coronavirus cases diagnosed in Lancashire

Official figures show that 90 more cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Lancashire.
Official Public Health England figuresOfficial Public Health England figures
Official Public Health England figures

It brings the number of cases recorded in the area up to 231, as a key government doctor warned the UK may not return to normal life for at least six months.

Public Health England figures show that 231 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am yesterday morning (March 29) in Lancashire, up from 141 the same time on Friday. A week before, there were 44 cases.

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They were among the 1,536 cases recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 516 over the weekend.

Across the UK, 19,522 people had tested positive for coronavirus as of 9am on Sunday, up from 14,543 at the same point on Friday, Department of Health and Social Care figures show.

In total, 127,737 people had been tested, and 1,228 had died.

Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer for England, has said normal life in the UK will not resume for at least six months.

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She said the nation will not be in "complete lockdown" for half a year, but said social distancing measures will be lifted gradually.

Her warning at Sunday's coronavirus press conference came as the NHS announced the first confirmed death of a frontline hospital worker with Covid-19.

Amged El-Hawrani, 55, a specialist ear, nose and throat surgeon at Queen's Hospital Burton died on Saturday, amid concerns staff do not have sufficient personal protective equipment.

Dr Harries said the three-week reviews on the measures to slow the disease's spread will likely continue for six months and that their success would be judged on slowing its rate.

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"But we must not then suddenly revert to our normal way of living, that would be quite dangerous," she said.

"We need to keep that lid on and then gradually we will be able to hopefully adjust some of the social distancing measures and gradually get us all back to normal.

"As a nation we have to be really, really responsible and keep doing what we're all doing until we're sure we can gradually start lifting various interventions which are likely to be spaced – based on the science and our data – until we gradually come back to a normal way of living."

In other coronavirus news:

A man has been Tasered by Metropolitan Police after he coughed over officers as they sat in a car, claiming he had Covid-19.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed some 20,000 former NHS staff have returned to help in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak, as he praised the significance of society while self-isolating in Downing Street.

EasyJet announced it has grounded its entire fleet of aircraft due to the coronavirus pandemic.