The number of people who have died after contracting coronavirus in the UK has risen to 144, the Department of Health has said.

It comes as the number of confirmed cases rose by 643 to 3,269 on Thursday.

Earlier, NHS England said 29 more people had died in England in the past 24 hours, taking the total there to 128.

London also topped 1,000 cases - with another 268 making 1,221. The capital's death toll increased by 16 and stands at 52.

There has also been the second known death of someone in their forties.


Diane Wake, head of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said the patient had underlying health conditions.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said three more people in Scotland had died in the past 24 hours after testing positive for coronavirus, doubling her country's death toll to six.

Northern Ireland also recorded its first death on Thursday, with Wales previously recording two deaths. It brought the death toll earlier in the afternoon to 137.

It is unclear where the remaining seven deaths, which the Department of Health announced on Thursday evening, are located.

NHS England said the latest deaths were people between 47 and 96 years old who all had underlying health conditions.

There are now 2,756 confirmed cases in England - a rise of 574 in a day.

The number of people in Scotland who have contracted COVID-19 stands at 266 - a rise of 39 in 24 hours.

Ms Sturgeon said the figure was "likely to be an underestimate of the true prevalence of the infection".

UK can 'turn tide on virus within 12 weeks' - PM

The number of cases in Wales has also increased, with 21 new confirmed cases bringing its total to 170.

And Northern Ireland has a total of 77 confirmed cases of coronavirus - an increase of nine in a day.

The prime minister said in his daily briefing on Thursday that he believed the country could "turn the tide" against the virus in the next 12 weeks.

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He also said the government was in talks to buy "hundreds of thousands" of tests to reveal if people are immune.

The virus outbreak has continued to affect people's lives across Britain.

A partial shutdown of the London Underground started on Thursday as up to 40 stations that do not interchange with other lines were closed "until further notice".

Elsewhere, the education secretary said students whose exams have been cancelled to stop the coronavirus spread will be given grades so they can still go to college or university.

'No exams for this academic year'

Gavin Williamson told Sky News the full details including who would decide those GCSE and A-level grades and what appeals process would be available would be revealed on Friday.

Up to 20,000 service personnel will be put on standby to help combat the coronavirus, with troops gearing up to drive oxygen tankers, support the police and boost hospital capacity.

On Thursday, reservists will be put on notice to mobilise if required as part of a war-like effort to prepare the armed forces in case the government calls upon them in large numbers.

And supermarkets are expecting to get police support to deter unruly behaviour if London goes into lockdown because of the outbreak.