Experts have warned that London’s death cases from the coronavirus may spike in the next fortnight after the capital’s death toll rises to over 1,000.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the highest level of infections may arrive earlier than first predicted, and suggested that extreme social distancing measures started 12 days ago may have to be extended.
Another large increase in infections and fatalities was anticipated this afternoon on top of yesterday’s official tally of 33,718 confirmed cases nationwide, including 9,291 in London alone, and 2,921 deaths.
The “official” NHS tally of death in London, which excludes fatalities outside hospitals and where relatives might not have been informed, went up by 171 to 899. But the more up-to-date unchecked total across the capital was 1,053, said the Health Service Journal.
NHS London said over a quarter of the city’s intensive care unit beds are free, meaning there is spare capacity. But officials told the Standard their modelling points to a “steep increase” in case-load, including a London peak next week or the week after.
The arrival of NHS Nightingale — potentially boosting critical care by the equivalent of 15 new district hospitals — means the capital is now ready to face the storm.
The Prince of Wales, who this week came out of self-isolation after contracting a mild form of the virus, performed the opening ceremony by video link.
On behalf of the nation, he thanked NHS staff, the military and construction workers who worked round the clock to transform the ExCel centre into a crisis medical facility
