UK coronavirus death toll rises to 5,373 after 439 more die in 24 hours

Charities say older people feel pressured into signing ‘Do not attempt resuscitation’ forms

A total of 5,373 patients have died in UK hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus, a rise of 439 in 24 hours.

The new deaths, which were from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday, is slightly lower than the daily death tolls at the end of last week.

Between Thursday evening and Friday evening, 684 hospital patients with the virus died. Between Friday and Saturday, 708 died.

The Department of Health said that as of 9am on Monday, 208,837 people had been tested, 51,608 of whom had tested positive.

Four elderly residents at a care home in Portsmouth have died after showing Covid-19 symptoms, the local authority has confirmed.

Read more

• How to help the elderly and vulnerable during the coronavirus
• How to feel less anxious about the coronavirus
• How to be productive when working from home during coronavirus
• Which countries around the world has coronavirus spread to?
• The dirty truth about washing your hands

A coalition of charities says older people are feeling pressured into signing “Do not attempt CPR” forms.

Organisations supporting the elderly said they were hearing “shocking examples” of blanket decisions seemingly being made about the care and treatment of older people.

Many of those who affected said they felt as if “their lives and wishes do not matter”, they said in a joint statement.

The charities said the examples were “shameful and unacceptable”.

The nine signatories include Caroline Abrahams, director of Age UK, Deborah Alsina, chief executive of Independent Age, Donald Macaskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, and the Commissioners for Older People in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Health secretary Matt Hancock has appealed to people to donate blood for research trials, saying it would help a national effort to fight the virus.