PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS QUERY GOVERNMENT 'AT ODDS' WITH WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION

UK fatalities from coronavirus passed the 18,000 mark today as Atherstone and the rest of the nation were warned that current Government policies could be putting 7.3 million people aged between 60 and 69 at increased risk of severe illness and death.

Another 665 people have lost their lives in England and 77 more in Scotland which pushed its overall toll to more than 1,000.

The latest recorded figures for the last 24 hours puts the UK death toll at 18,002 but does not include any fatalities in care facilities, hospices and private homes.

Officials believe the number of deaths in care homes in England have doubled over Easter.

In just four days between April 11 and 15, some 2,000 people are thought to have died.

Figures also revealed yesterday that the tally of lost lives could be 40 per cent higher than reported as 13,121 fatalities have now been recorded in England and Wales up to April 10 – compared to the 9,288 announced at the time.

Julie Penfold, a 53-year-old nurse, is the latest NHS worker to sacrifice lives to save Covid-19 patients. More than 100 frontline medics have now died, although the Government says the figure is half that total.

The number of health worker deaths has been blamed on lack of PPE for the frontline.

But today a new warning was sounded that a group of more than seven million people over 60 but under the 'lockdown' age of 70 should be considered a vulnerable category, in need of more stringent isolation.

In an article published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, the scientists said data from countries such as China and Italy show those aged between 60 and 69 are also at high risk of complications and death from the novel coronavirus.

This risk is lower compared with those aged 70 years or older.

Professor Azeem Majeed, head of the department of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, said: "The UK's policy is at variance with the World Health Organisation, which states that those above the age of 60 years are at the highest risk, requiring additional preventative measures."

He added: "To reduce hospitalisations, intensive care admissions and death we recommend that those aged between 60 and 69 are particularly stringent when implementing public health measures such as social distancing and personal hygiene."

The Government guidance suggests those aged 70 or older should be more rigorous in following social distancing measures, regardless of whether they have medical conditions or not.

Examples of these measures include avoiding face-to-face contact with family and friends as much as possible, and using telephone or online services to contact their GP or other essential services.

Testing is a continuing issue with Care Minister Helen Whateley today admitting that many NHS workers will need re-testing as early tests were inaccurate.

And fewer coronavirus tests in the UK were conducted yesterday than 12 days ago – with officials having vowed to carry out 100,000 tests a day by the end of April.

It has been reported that the British public will be told to wear masks at work and on public transport when lockdown is eventually eased.

Scientists have told ministers that coverings could help to stop "asymptomatic people" – those who are infected but not showing symptoms – from passing on the disease.

The guidance is set to say that those who cannot stay more than six feet apart apart at work and on buses and trains should wear a cloth face mask, such as a homemade mask, scarf or other non-surgical covering to help slow the spread of the virus.

Experts from SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) met yesterday to consider key evidence.