Coronavirus: 10 public transport workers die after testing positive for COVID-19

Ten public transport workers have died in the capital after testing positive for coronavirus, the London mayor Sadiq Khan has said.

Mr Khan said they all died in the last few days, with eight being bus workers, one working for Transport for London and another working for London Underground.

The mayor of London said on Monday afternoon: "They are in my thoughts and prayers, and my condolences to their families.

"It reminds us actually, one of the heroic frontline workers are transport workers.

"We've got 25,000 bus drivers, more than 25,000 people who work for Transport for London, doing their best to keep public transport running for those essential key workers that need public transport to get from home to work and back home again.

"The NHS, those who work in our shops in the food sector, police officers, firefighters."

Mr Khan added that London public transport workers have not currently been provided with personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks and gloves, during the coronavirus outbreak.

He said the advice from Public Health England is that there is no need for transport workers to have the equipment.

The ASLEF union, which represents transport workers, has called for people working in the industry to be provided with PPE.

Mr Khan said: "We can do the best we can with the limited facilities given by the government.

"We are lobbying the government regularly, almost on a daily basis, for additional personal protective equipment and additional testing as well.

"At the moment what we're doing is using hospital-standard anti-viral disinfectant, we're regularly cleaning the key touch points - think about bus garages, the steering wheel, depots.

"The restrooms, the key places people touch when they get onto a bus."

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Mr Khan added that despite record numbers of staff being off due to showing symptoms of COVID-19, almost 90% of buses are still running along with more than 55% of Tube trains.

The Mayor of London also repeated the message that people should only use public transport if they "really really have to" and should stay at home where possible.

A further 403 coronavirus patients in England were confirmed to have died on Monday after contracting coronavirus.

It takes the total number of fatalities in England to 4,897.

There were an extra 27 deaths in Wales taking the overall number to 193 and two further deaths in Scotland where the total now stands at 222.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is in "good spirits" after spending a "comfortable" night in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.

His official spokesman said he continues to lead the government and has been working on official papers from his hospital bed.