Government says pandemic has peaked as Northamptonshire's death rate starts to slow

Northamptonshire's Covid-19 death rate has started to slow as Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the UK has reached the peak of the pandemic.

Seven more victims were today (Wednesday April 22) confirmed to have died in the county's two major hospitals, taking the total to 187 when the figures were collated at 5pm last night.

That compares with a rise of 14 announced a week ago and 17 revealed on Good Friday — the highest in a 24-hour period in the county since the outbreak began on March 3.

Mr Hancock told the House of Commons today: “I just want to thank everyone from across the country for their steadfast commitment in following the rules, it is making a difference.

"We are at the peak, but before we relax any social distancing rules or make changes to them we have set out the five tests that have to be met.”

Northampton General Hospital saw five more patients die, four on Sunday (April 19) and one on Monday, taking the total at the Cliftonville site to 115.

Another two victims were recorded at Kettering General Hospital where 72 have now died.

Across the UK, 18,100 people have now died in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, a rise of 764 in the previous 24 hours,

Figures from the Department of Health do not include deaths in care homes, hospices and other places outside the county's two acute hospitals.