Coronavirus LIVE updates: UK vaccine could be just WEEKS away as death toll hits 10,612
THE CORONAVIRUS death toll in the UK has jumped to at least 10,612 after 737 people died in just 24 hours.
That is a leap from Saturday’s total of 9,875 as the country remains in lockdown.
Ministers said the UK will remain in lockdown until figures start to fall, while police have already issued over a 1,000 fines to those breaching the restrictions.
This comes after news a coronavirus vaccine could be just weeks away as experts at Oxford University say they’re “80 per cent confident” a new drug will work.
Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is working on a vaccine with a team at the university, is about to begin testing the vaccine.
She is confident it will work and says it could be ready by September.
Earlier today Boris Johnson was discharged from hospital after being treated for coronavirus.
He will not return to work immediately, however.
Mr Johnson, 55, was taken to St Thomas’ hospital, in London, last Sunday – 10 days after testing positive.
The PM recorded a video and thanked two nurses who stood by his bedside for 48 hours “when things could have gone either way”.
“They are Jenny from New Zealand – Invercargill on the South Island to be exact – and Luis from Portugal, near Porto,” he said.
“The reason in the end my body did start to get enough oxygen was because for every second of the night they were watching and they were thinking and caring and making the interventions I needed.”
Downing Street said the PM will continue his recovery from his country residence, Chequers.
They said: “On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work. He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas’ for the brilliant care he has received.
“All of his thoughts are with those affected by this illness.”
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