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London hospital Northwick Park was forced to declare a "critical incident" due to a surge in the number of coronavirus patients.

The hospital, based in Harrow, said in a message to staff that its critical care capacity is full and that it is now seeking to transfer seriously ill patients to other hospitals in the capital.

The critical incident was later stood down on Friday.

The message, sent on Thursday evening and seen by the Health Service Journal (HSJ), says: "I am writing to let you know that we have this evening declared a ‘critical incident’ in relation to our critical care capacity at Northwick Park Hospital. This is due to an increasing number of patients with Covid-19."

"This means that we currently do not have enough space for patients requiring critical care."

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 50 show all Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1/50 Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA 2/50 An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA 3/50 Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons 4/50 Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images 5/50 Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters 6/50 Captain Tom Moore via Reuters 7/50 Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA 8/50 An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters 9/50 Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA 10/50 Tobias Weller PA 11/50 Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed 12/50 London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle 13/50 A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA 14/50 Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters 15/50 A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters 16/50 General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters 17/50 Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 18/50 A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images 19/50 A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA 20/50 Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA 21/50 Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA 22/50 A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images 23/50 People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA 24/50 Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA 25/50 Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters 26/50 Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn 27/50 Westminster Bridge is deserted PA 28/50 A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA 29/50 An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn 30/50 Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images 31/50 A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA 32/50 The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA 33/50 A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters 34/50 Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA 35/50 Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters 36/50 The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA 37/50 Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA 38/50 A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters 39/50 Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images 40/50 A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images 41/50 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 42/50 A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images 43/50 Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA 44/50 A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA 45/50 A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images 46/50 A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com 47/50 A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn 48/50 A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images 49/50 A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA 50/50 Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images 1/50 Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA 2/50 An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA 3/50 Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons 4/50 Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images 5/50 Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters 6/50 Captain Tom Moore via Reuters 7/50 Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA 8/50 An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters 9/50 Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA 10/50 Tobias Weller PA 11/50 Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed 12/50 London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle 13/50 A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA 14/50 Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters 15/50 A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters 16/50 General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters 17/50 Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters 18/50 A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images 19/50 A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA 20/50 Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA 21/50 Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA 22/50 A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images 23/50 People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA 24/50 Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA 25/50 Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters 26/50 Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn 27/50 Westminster Bridge is deserted PA 28/50 A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA 29/50 An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn 30/50 Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images 31/50 A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA 32/50 The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA 33/50 A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters 34/50 Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA 35/50 Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters 36/50 The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA 37/50 Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA 38/50 A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters 39/50 Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images 40/50 A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images 41/50 A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn 42/50 A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images 43/50 Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA 44/50 A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA 45/50 A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images 46/50 A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com 47/50 A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn 48/50 A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images 49/50 A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA 50/50 Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

Commenting on the report, Labour & Co-operative MP for Harrow West Gareth Thomas said: "Thinking of the staff & all those in their care at Northwick Park Hospital at the moment."

"Hospital’s critical care unit overwhelmed by coronavirus patients."

Northwick Park falls under London's North West University Healthcare Trust. The Trust has reported six deaths related to coronavirus, all of which occurred at Northwick Park.

One senior director at another acute trust in London, who also saw the Northwick Park message, told HSJ: "Given we’re in the low foothills of this virus, this is ... petrifying."

"I was in denial about the seriousness of this virus a couple of weeks ago, but not anymore," the director added.

Meanwhile, a further 40 people nationwide who tested positive for coronavirus have died, health officials confirmed on Friday, signalling the biggest day-on-day rise since the outbreak began.

The overall death toll now stands at 177, 15 days after the first coronavirus-related death in the UK was reported on March 5.​

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to impose stricter measures on London imminently, including closing all pubs, restaurants, cinemas and gyms across the capital.