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Coronavirus deaths in UK jump by highest amount to date to 1,019

Staff prepare to load equipment into London Ambulance Service vehicles in the east car park at the ExCeL London exhibition centre in London on March 28, 2020, that is being transformed into a field hospital to be known as the NHS Nightingale Hospital to help with the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. - Britain on March 24 said it will open a 4,000-bed field hospital at a London exhibition centre to treat coronavirus cases in the latest measure to tackle the outbreak after the government ordered a nationwide lockdown. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Staff prepare to load equipment into London Ambulance Service vehicles (Picture: Getty)

The number of deaths of patients with coronavirus in the UK has risen by its largest number.

A total of 1,019 patients have died after testing positive for COVID-19 as of 5pm on Friday, the Department of Health (DHSC) said, up from 759 the day before.

As of 9am Saturday, a total of 120,776 have been tested, with 103,687 negative and 17,089 positive, according to the DHSC.

A further seven people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Scotland, taking the total there to 40.

A further four people with COIVD-19 have also died in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths there to 38, health officials have said.

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Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack arrives in Downing Street in central London to attend a Cabinet meeting on 17 March, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack has developed mild coronavirus symptoms and is self-isolating (Picture: Getty)

The latest figures come after Scottish Secretary Alister Jack revealed he had developed mild symptoms of coronavirus and was self-isolating.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson is already having to lead the response to the pandemic from Downing Street after he was diagnosed with the disease on Friday.

He has been accused of failing to follow his own social distancing rules after Health Secretary Matt Hancock tested positive and England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty began self-isolating with symptoms.

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The Department for Health has changed the way it reports cases and deaths.

It will now publish the latest deaths for the 24-hour period before 5pm the previous day, while the latest cases will come from the 24 hours up to 9am.