UK coronavirus live: death toll lowered by more than 5,000 after change in how Covid fatalities are counted
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Responding to the chief executive of NHS Providers Chris Hopson’s remarks about the need for a “fit for purpose” test and trace system to be put in place within weeks, the shadow health secretary, Justin Madders, has said:
We have been warning for months that a relaxation of lockdown measures must go alongside a fully functioning test and trace system. The government need to listen to the warnings of those working on the frontline and urgently step up work to ensure the system works effectively.
It doesn’t need to be ‘world beating’ it just needs to be effective. Ministers should end their reliance on failing private sector companies and support councils to use local expertise and implement targeted test-and-trace programmes.
The Department of Health and Social Care has reduced the UK’s death toll by more than 5,000 following a review of how figures are calculated.
Officials said that, as of Wednesday 12 August, the number of all deaths in patients testing positive for Covid-19 within 28 days was 41,329. Earlier government figures said 46,706 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday.
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