Biggest daily jump yet in Northamptonshire Covid-19 cases

Health officials revealed the biggest daily jump yet in the number of known Covid-19 cases in Northamptonshire.

A total of 220 people in the county who have tested positive for the bug by 9am yesterday (Thursday April 2) — a rise of 33 in the previous 24 hours — according to Public Health England.

The previous biggest daily rise was 27 announced on Monday of this week when the total number of cases rose to 153.

Northamptonshire's two NHS hospitals have so far confirmed 20 deaths in Northampton and Kettering.

A peak in the UK coronavirus epidemic is predicted in the next two or three weeks and NHS planners revealed this week nearly 400 hospital beds have been freed up in the county ahead of a predicted surge in the number of cases.

And Northampton General Hospital's testing programme has allowed more than 150 key staff to return to work after being cleared of the disease.

In the first 48 hours of the pilot scheme, results of 184 tests were returned with 27 showing positive.

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