THE NHS has “more critical care beds available now than before coronavirus hit our shores”, Matt Hancock has revealed.
Speaking at today’s Downing Street press conference, the Health Secretary suggested the NHS had smashed concerns it would not be able to cope.
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Despite the death toll today passing 10,000, Mr Hancock insisted the NHS was managing to meet the demand for beds.
He said: “The latest figures show that in Great Britain we have 2,295 spare critical care beds, up 150 from yesterday.
“Throughout this crisis with all the challenges that we’ve been dealing with, all the operational difficulties and all the logistics, we have always been able to provide the very best of care to everybody who needs it through the NHS.
“At the start of this crisis, people said that the NHS would be overwhelmed, and we’ve seen that and we’ve seen the risk of that elsewhere but not here.
“There is more spare capacity now for critical care than there was when coronavirus first hit our shores.”
It comes after another 737 patients died from the virus, bringing the UK’s total to 10,612.
Mr Hancock claimed the figures showed how serious the pandemic was.
He said: “Today marks a sombre day in the impact of this disease as we join the list of countries who have seen more than 10,000 deaths related to coronavirus.
“The fact that over 10,000 people have now lost their lives to this invisible killer demonstrates just how serious this coronavirus is and why the national effort that everyone is engaged in is so important.”
It comes as the Prime Minister released a candid video addressed to the nation just hours after being discharged from hospital while battling coronavirus.
The Prime Minister praised the “magnificent NHS” and mentioned two nurses in particular who were paramount to his care.
“I today left hospital after a week in which the NHS has saved my life … no question.”
In a reference to the current lockdown measures in effect across the UK, he thanked Brits for “the effort and sacrifice” that have been made.
“When the sun is out and when the whole natural world seems at its loveliest and the outdoors is so inviting, I can only imagine how tough it has been to follow the rules on social distancing.
“So many millions across this country have been doing the right thing.”
The PM optimistically stressed that “although the struggle is by no means over, we are now making progress in this incredible national battle against coronavirus.”
