Major milestones – summary
“As of 5pm on 11 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 10,612 have sadly died” (Department of Health and Social Care tweet). The number of reported deaths does not include deaths outside of hospitals, which means the true figure will be even higher. The UK is the fifth country where over 10,000 people have died (the US, Spain, Italy and France are the others).
The UK now has more confirmed cases than China (84,279 according to DHSC, and 85,1765 according to John Hopkins University – compared to 83,134 in China), making the UK the country with the 6th highest number of confirmed cases. The USA has over 500,000 confirmed cases (542,023).
Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) and Wellcome Trust director said the UK was likely to be “one of the worst, if not the worst affected country in Europe”, on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.
Boris Johnson released a video message having left hospital, where he was being treated for coronavirus – including in an Intensive Care Unit.
Meanwhile, there are more than 500 confirmed cases in Gloucestershire. This represents only people tested once in hospital, so we have no robust number for the number of cases in the community.
However, Professor Tim Spector of King’s College London, says “The latest analysis of data from the Covid-19 Symptom Tracker, used by over 2 million people [produces an estimate] that 1.4 million people in the UK aged 20-69 have symptomatic COVID, a fall from 1.9 million on the 1st April… These figures suggest that the nation staying home is having a big impact on the spread of the virus in the UK… although the number of hospital admissions and deaths from COVID are currently rising, they should start to fall in about two weeks provided social distancing continues. This two week lag is caused by the delay between symptoms starting and becoming very severe.”
Updates from the Stroud Coronavirus Community Response team and the local community
- We now have 4,100 members in our Facebook group – and there’ve been over 16,000 posts, comments and reactions in the last 4 weeks!
- “In less than three weeks, the Feeding the 5,000 project has provided more than 5,000 meals to vulnerable people and NHS staff. Led by The Long Table, a social enterprise, and supported by the Bishop of Gloucester, the Right Revd Rachel Treweek and the wider Diocese of Gloucester, the project’s vision is to provide nutritious, home-cooked food to those most in need across Gloucestershire. An army of volunteer chefs, delivery drivers and administrators have been mobilised to tackle the urgent problem of people being unable to access healthy food during this crisis.” (Stroud News and Journal)
- “Adam Soble has put his whole business over to making much needed PPE for the NHS. All at cost not a penny made in profit”, Cllr Paul Denney posted alongside a picture. of “325 face visors ready to go to Gloucester NHS.”
- We shared the latest update on how to order from local producers for collection at “Stroud Farmers’ Market food hub”. Order deadline is Wednesday Midnight, and Kardien Gerbrands says “We are aware there are issues we need to resolve with regards the queueing and the vegetable supply. Newark Farm have limited supplies and don’t last through the day (much the same as on market day). To be sure of getting vegetables you may wish to go for a veg box from Styan or Coleshill Organic. Similarly, with Meats, Hinton Marsh Farm and Madgett’s are in a better position to fulfil orders than Adey’s. Going forward ALL ADEYS ORGANIC MEAT ORDERS NEED TO BE IN BY Tuesday 9am” (please click the link above for full details)
- Good On Paper published “A guide to radio stations, broadcasts, YouTube channels, Zoom parties and more coming out of the five valleys”
- Five Valleys Sounds published the “second edition of the online paper featuring news from the Stroud News and Journal… The online format means it’s available for anyone who can’t access or read text”. They say “We want everyone to stay connected and up-to-date with news about Stroud and the local area. If you know someone who would benefit from this free service, do everything you can to help them access it.”
Local news from the papers:
- “The number of confirmed deaths of patients who had tested positive for coronavirus in Gloucestershire has risen in a day by 11 from 73 to 84, according to the latest figures. Public Health England said on Sunday afternoon that of those who died, 80 were being treated at Gloucestershire Hospitals while four were being cared for though Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. The number of confirmed positive cases in the county also rose, to 598 – up 49 on the daily total of 549 announced yesterday.” (Gloucestershire Live) We understand this to be, again, the highest number of people to die in a single day in Gloucestershire (after yesterday’s figure of 10 people who died).
- “People in Gloucestershire have been urged to continue to seek medical help if they have symptoms of a potentially serious illness or health condition – even if it’s not coronavirus. Nationally, the number of people presenting with symptoms of possible heart attack, stroke and suspected cancer has reduced considerably since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic – even though it is likely these illnesses will be at the previous levels. Although the nature of health services in Gloucestershire has changed in response to the pandemic, GP practices and emergency departments are available to see patients with potentially serious health conditions.” (Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
- Gloucestershire Live published details of “Every death notice and funeral announcement made in Gloucestershire in the last week”. They say: “These notices are correct at time of going to press, however funeral directors are having to make changes to planned Funeral Services, due to social distancing and limited mourners attending funerals. The best way to ensure you have access to the very latest information is to check the notice online at funeral-notices.co.uk once you find the notice you are interested in, click ‘notify me’ to receive updates every time a change is made. You may also wish to add your own personal tribute to the notice; unlimited tributes, photos and videos can be added, free of charge.”
- James Wasley was able to get this drone footage of the Severn Bore from high above, as times were removed from websites in an effort to prevent gatherings (Gloucestershire Live)
- Nine people who have been fined by Gloucestershire Police for breaking lockdown measures (Gloucestershire Live)
National:
- “As of 9am 12 April, 352,974 tests have concluded, with 18,000 tests on 11 April. 282,374 people have been tested of which 84,279 tested positive. As of 5pm on 11 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 10,612 have sadly died” (Department of Health and Social Care tweet). The John Hopkins University Tracker lists the UK as having 85,175 confirmed cases. We are unclear why there is a discrepancy with the DHSC figure.
- The UK now has more confirmed cases than China (83,134), making the UK the country with the 6th highest number of confirmed cases.
- There were 5,288 new cases confirmed yesterday (considerably fewer than the day before), and 737 people died. John Hopkins University lists 625 people as having recovered in the UK.
- Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) and Wellcome Trust director said the UK was likely to be “one of the worst, if not the worst affected country in Europe”, on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.
Global Summary:
- Worldwide confirmed cases exceed 1.8 million (1,827,284)
- Over 110,000 people have died (113,031)
- 416,620 people have recovered.
- There are 19 countries with over 10,000 confirmed cases, 14 of these have over 20,000 confirmed cases. The USA has over 500,000 confirmed cases (542,023) (above all from Johns Hopkins University tracker)
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) “has published a document ‘Target Product Profiles for COVID-19 Vaccines’ (pdf) , describing “the preferred and minimally acceptable profiles for human vaccines for long term protection of persons at high risk of COVID-19 infection, such as healthcare workers; and for reactive use in outbreak settings”
- The Pope delivered Easter Sunday Mass online.
- Austria: “Small shops… will reopen from 14 April, larger ones from 1 May, and it is hoped that all restaurants and hotels will follow from mid-May. 319 people have died, and infection rates are believed to be past their peak
- Italy: “recorded its lowest daily rise in deaths in three weeks on Sunday, with 431 people killed by the virus and new cases growing by 1,984, or 2%.”
Please remember that we have a (growing) list of resources to support your emotional and mental health during this time on our website.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this update via our Facebook group.