Coronavirus: UK infection number rises, 6th victim dies

LONDON

The number of cases of coronavirus in the U.K. has risen to 373, health officials said Tuesday.

The number was accurate as of 9 am (0900GMT), the Department of Health said.

The department also confirmed the sixth coronavirus death in the U.K.

“Sadly, we can confirm that a man who was being cared for at Watford General hospital, and had tested positive for Covid-19, has died,” a statement from the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust said.

The number of infected people in the U.K. has so far shown an initial increase similar to various European countries, including Germany and France.

But a senior medical expert said thousands of people will eventually be infected across the U.K.

"We will have significant numbers in a way which I think the country is not used to. So, large numbers of the population will become infected but because it's a naive population, nobody has got antibodies to this virus currently,” said Dr. Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer.

"Having said that, 99% of those will almost certainly get better and most people will have a really quite mild disease and will not need to be in hospital. [They] can be managed very safely and appropriately at home," she told SkyNews.

She added: "The important thing for us is to make sure that we manage those infections and make sure that those individuals who are most affected – our elderly people, particularly those with chronic underlying conditions – get in touch and get treatment, and that we support other people in the home environment."

She said the fatality rate would rise in the early stages of a widespread outbreak before it drops again.

Harries said new measures, including those aimed at protecting the elderly and vulnerable, are expected shortly, as cases rise more rapidly across the U.K.

British Airways, meanwhile, has cancelled all its flights to and from Italy, where the virus has claimed almost 500 lives. It is among some other major travel companies suspending Italy flights.

The announcement followed updated British Foreign Office travel advice for Italy saying people should avoid all but essential travel to the Mediterranean country, the hardest-hit in Europe by the virus.