The number of people who have died due to coronavirus in the UK has risen sharply to 759 today. The death toll in Britain jumped by 181 in the 24 hour period between 5pm on March 24 to 5pm March 25, according to figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care.
There are now 14,579 confirmed cases in Britain, up from 11,658 yesterday. The department has now been forced to take on a new approach to recording confirmed cases and deaths as the Government, NHS England and Public Health England rapidly scale up the number of tests for COVID-19 completed each day.
Figures will now be reported via a new automated system which will provide the number of cases and deaths recorded in the previous 5pm-5pm period.