A further 616 patients have died in UK hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.

The latest Department for Health figures brings the overall death toll from the virus in hospitals to 18,738.

At the same point the day before, 18,100 virus-related deaths had been reported across the UK.

Of the latest UK deaths, 514 took place in hospitals in England bringing the total number of confirmed reported virus-related deaths there to 16,786.

Of the 514 new deaths announced on Thursday in England, 111 occurred on April 22, 216 took place on April 21 and 75 occurred on April 20.

The earliest new death reported in Thursday's figures took place on March 25.

Delays in reporting deaths can be attributed to delays in obtaining positive results, post-mortem outcomes, and for testing data to be validated.

A nurse wearing PPE looks through a window of a closed door leading to the red zone at a care home. Credit: AP

The total death toll in Scotland now stands at 1,120 after authorities reported a further 58 virus-related deaths.

Speaking at her daily coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh, Scotland's First Minister said a further 149 patients were in intensive care for Covid-19.

Nicola Sturgeon also outlined Scotland's options for an exit strategy from current lockdown measures.

Health Authorities in Wales reported a further 17 virus-related deaths on Thursday.

Public Health Wales announced the total death toll there now stands at 641.

Dr Robin Howe, from Public Health Wales, said new data on the number of people contracting the virus suggests "a levelling-off [...] which may be an indication of the effectiveness of lockdown measures."

He added: "It is still too early to tell for sure, and it is too soon to end the current social distancing rules."

The latest figures reported by health authorities in Northern Ireland puts the death toll there at 250.

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