UK coronavirus death toll rises to 3,605 after jumping by 684 in 24 hours

Record daily rise in fatalities announced for fourth consecutive day

A further 684 people in UK hospitals have died of coronavirus in 24 hours, bringing the country's death toll to 3,605.

The new figure, which covers from 5pm on Wednesday to 5pm on Thursday, is again a record daily rise in fatalities, in line with an upward trend.

As of 9am on Friday, a total of 173,784 people had been tested for the virus, of whom 38,168 had were positive, Department of Health officials said.

The new increase came on the day the new Nightingale hospital in east London, which will take up to 4,000 patients, was opened by Prince Charles via a video link.

It will be staffed by NHS workers with help from the military.

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Similar field hospitals are in the pipeline across the UK, including in Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, the North East and Bristol.

Worldwide, the number of people killed by Covid-19 stands at nearly 54,400, according to US researchers at Johns Hopkins University, and the number of people infected globally is more than a million.

However, that is likely to be a significant underestimate due to a lack of testing, people having the virus without symptoms, and suspicions some countries such as China and Iran may be concealing the extent of their outbreaks.

US advisers warned last weekend that the country could suffer up to 200,000 deaths from the pandemic.

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Spain’s death figures rose above 10,000 on Thursday after a record 950 people died overnight, but health officials were encouraged by a slowdown in daily increases in infections.

Italy said on Thursday its toll had risen by 760 over 24 hours to 13,915 – the world’s worst fatality tally.

Meanwhile, the Queen is to address the nation on Sunday to deliver a message about the virus.

Boris Johnson has said he is “feeling better” after suffering from coronavirus but will remain in self-isolation until his temperature drops.