Another 684 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus - bringing the total number of deaths to 3,605.

The number of deaths, tallied in the 24 hours up to 5pm on Thursday, marks the largest increase so far, with the previous day recording 569 people.

The Department of Health said as of 9am on Friday, 38,168 people had tested positive for coronavirus across the UK.

Charles: NHS Nightingale is 'shining light'

Number of deaths in each country, as reported by each home nation:

Scotland: 46 more deaths - a total of 172


Wales: 24 more deaths - a total of 141

England: 604 more deaths - a total of 3,302

Northern Ireland: 12 more deaths (doubled in a day) - a total of 48

Image: Aimee O'Rourke is the second NHS nurse to have died from coronavirus

The Department of Health compiles its figures from data supplied by the four countries' health agencies, who then release their own figures, often recording more deaths and figures.

NHS England said the newly confirmed deaths were patients aged between 24 and 100-years-old, with 34 of the patients - aged between 27 and 92 - having no known underlying health conditions.

London has seen many more deaths than anywhere else but the Midlands is now catching up, with 150 deaths recorded in the new figures, while 161 were in London.

The next highest is the northwest, with 88 deaths, followed by the east of England with 66 and the northeast and Yorkshire with 62. The southeast of England had 41 and the southwest 36.

There have been concerns of an outbreak in prisons, with 88 prisoners now testing positive across 29 prisons in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice said.

A total of 15 prison officers and four prison escort staff have also tested positive.

Image: Health secretary Matt Hancock at the opening of the NHS Nightingale Hospital on Friday

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News on Friday the peak of the UK's coronavirus outbreak may come on Easter Sunday, with as many as 1,000 deaths a day leading up to it.

As the number of deaths and cases increased, Boris Johnson announced he would not be coming out of self-isolation on Friday as he still has a temperature.

The prime minister had been self-isolating in his Downing Street flat after testing positive for coronavirus last Friday.

Mr Hancock returned to work on Thursday evening after recovering from coronavirus for the opening of the NHS Nightingale Hospital in east London the following morning.

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Prince Charles officially opened the hospital via video link from his home in Scotland, thanking all those who have transformed the ExCeL Centre into a 4,000 bed hospital in just nine days.

Mr Hancock announced on Thursday evening testing will be ramped up to 100,000 by the end of April, for both patients and NHS staff.