Coronavirus deaths in UK overtake China as numbers reach 3,605

UK's death toll is now 402 higher than China where the outbreak started

Emergency crews outside the Nightingale Hospital. AFP

The UK death toll from coronavirus has overtaken the total number of people killed in China where the virus originated.

On Friday the UK saw its highest one-day toll of 684 lives lost as deaths reached 3,605.

There have now been 402 more deaths in the UK than in China.

But the UK health minister Matt Hancock has warned the worst is yet to come and on Friday he said the peak of UK cases could be on Easter Sunday, April 12.

It comes as the country opened a new 4,000 bed military hospital at the ExCel conference centre in London, which has been the epicentre of UK cases.

Mr Hancock has reiterated the government's advice for people to stay at home and said the virus is continuing to spread.

"Our plan is to save as many lives as possible by protecting our NHS and ensuring it is not overwhelmed," he said.

"We have managed to expand the capacity to 2,000 critical care beds which are now free and available and that is before the new Nightingale hospitals open.

"For now the only way to protect yourself and your family is to stay at home. We are set for a warm weekend, but the disease is still spreading. We cannot afford to relax social distancing measures, if we do people will die."

However, the UK's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Vam-Tam said he had seen "green shoots" that the social distancing measures were making a difference but warned that a cure is still months away.

"I see green shoots due to people following the advice to stay at home," Mr Vam-Tam said.

"This is a new disease and while we have no proven treatment, the UK is determined to find one."

Mr Hancock has announced two new military hospitals in Harrogate and Bristol and says more than 2,000 critical care beds are presently free.

He said three trials are presently underway in the UK with 926 patients taking part and has appealed for more people to take part.

At a daily press conference on coronavirus, Mr Hancock said: "We are looking for people to sign up to the trials where that is clinically advised."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is himself entering a second week of isolation with a high temperature after testing positive for the virus.

The nation's Queen Elizabeth is to make an historic address to Britain and the Commonwealth nations on Sunday.

On Friday, Spain recorded more than 900 daily deaths for the second day running. Now more than 10,000 people have lost their lives there from the virus.

It has been the second worst hit country to date behind Italy.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that globally the situation will continue to worsen.

"The worst is yet to come," he said on Friday, referring to countries beset with fighting like Syria, Libya and Yemen.

"The Covid-19 storm is now coming to all these theatres of conflict."