Biggest jump in Covid-19 cases in Northamptonshire for second day in a row

The number of known Covid-19 cases in Northamptonshire now stands at 37.

Public Health England officials issued its daily figures, correct as at 9am yesterday (Tuesday March 24).

It is the second day in a row that the number of cases in the county has jumped by eight — the biggest rise in a 24-hour period since the outbreak started on March 3.

Yet health officials admit the real figure is much higher after they began only testing those already in hospital two weeks ago.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday launched an appeal for for 250,000 volunteers to help the national effort to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. And Northampton General Hospital is looking for medical students who have had courses interrupted to join its staff.

Nationwide, there are 8,077 known cases. The ltest number of deaths in the UK is 422, a rise of 89 on the previous day — the biggest daily spike so far.

Dad-of-two Craig Ruston, 45, who had motor neurone disease, died in Kettering General Hospital last week after testing positive for the virus. Northampton General Hospital also confirmed a 92-year-old man had died there on March 16.

Northamptonshire's first coronavirus case was reported on March 3. Two more members of the same family also tested positive within a week — all after returning from northern Italy which is now the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe, with 6,820 recorded deaths.

Other cases have since been reported cases at Southfield School in Kettering, Nationwide Building Society's administration centre in Northampton and Morrisons distribution centre in Burton Latimer.