Coronavirus is killing one Briton every two minutes – and Birmingham is the epicentre of the UK’s crisis, figures show.
The darkest day of the UK’s outbreak yesterday saw a further 786 deaths reported, bringing the total to 6,159.
However, the outbreak seems to be slowing, with the lowest number of new cases diagnosed yesterday.
Figures show the NHS trust with the most victims in England is University Hospitals Birmingham, followed by several trusts in London.
The hospital body has recorded 263 deaths so far, 37 of which were included in yesterday’s toll.
Birmingham has also consistently had the highest number of coronavirus cases throughout the outbreak in comparison to other authorities.
It has almost 1,400 of the UK’s total 55,242, higher than any singular London borough, and compared to just six in Rutland.
The sharp increase in deaths reported yesterday – 786 on Monday’s 439 and Sunday’s 621 – highlights just how many lives are being lost to COVID-19 with every minute that passes.
A British person dies of the disease every two minutes, based on yesterday’s figures, despite only reaching British soil in February.
In comparison, heart attacks cause one death every three minutes in the UK, and stroke one death every five minutes, according to charities.
The figures come as the UK Government face questions about how the escalating crisis will be managed in the absence of the Prime Minister.
Boris Johnson has been in hospital since Monday night, admitted after concerns his coronavirus symptoms weren’t subsiding, and is currently in intensive care at St Thomas’ in London.
Downing Street have reassured that Mr Johnson is ‘stable and in good spirits’ and has not been on a ventilator, after fears that would be the likely scenario grew.
The hospital is one of two run by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, which has so far reported 47 deaths.
Its a fraction of the 183 reported at London North West University Trust, which runs four hospitals.
But a Birmingham NHS trust takes an unwilling lead, with 263 deaths. It runs University Hospitals Birmingham runs Good Hope Hospital, Heartlands Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and Solihull Hospital.
Third is King’s College Hospital Trust, with 163 deaths, and fourth is Royal Free London, with 151 deaths.
In fact, of the 20 trusts in England reporting the most COVID-19 deaths, seven of them are in London.
A staggering 202 people in London were included in the daily death toll yesterday. However, some of those may have died in the days prior.
The Midlands accounts for one fifth of all deaths in England – 1,196 deaths of 5,655. London is close behind, with 1,706.
The capital is nearing almost 13,400 infections in total, which would explain why so many of London’s hospitals are counting high fatalities.
But when England is broken down into authorities, none of the 32 boroughs of London have as many cases as Birmingham.
The boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth and Croydon most hard-hit, with 710, 698 and 689 cases respectivaly in comparison to Birmingham’s 1,372.
New diagnoses in Surrey and Hampshire have climbed at speed over the course of the UK’s outbreak. Both authorities now have around 1,000 cases each.
At the lower end of the league, with 30 to 40 cases, is Kingston upon Hull, Hartlepool and Isle of Wight.
Rutland has had a light escape so far. There have been six cases recorded in the small English town after it remained virus-free for weeks.
The UK’s top scientist yesterday offered the public a glimmer of hope that the strict coronavirus shutdown is having an effect after.
Sir Patrick Vallance said that the sharp fall in newly diagnosed cases, from a peak of 5,903 on Sunday, suggested the curve may finally be flattening.
But both the chief scientific adviser and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for the Prime Minister, were cautiously optimistic.
It will be another week before experts know for sure whether the battle is being won, and said it is vital now, more than ever, that everyone continues to follow rules on staying at home and social distancing.
Separate figures released show that almost five per cent of all deaths in England and Wales may have been as a result of coronavirus.
Of all deaths in the week up to March 27, 539 death certificates mentioned coronavirus, which is 4.8 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics.
That’s risen from one per cent of deaths the week before.