NHS postpones all routine surgery for three months

NHS England have announced they are suspending all “non-urgent elective surgery” to free up 30,000 beds for coronavirus patients.

NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens told MPs operations will be suspended from 15 April at the latest, for at least three months.

Sir Simon said, “In readiness for the likely influx of more coronavirus patients, we are going to be taking concerted action across the NHS… up to a third of the general and acute beds – perhaps 30,000 of those general and acute beds – for coronavirus patients.”

Sir Patrick Vallance, the governments chief scientific advisor has warned the UK “may have up to 55,000 coronavirus cases already.”

The total number of coronavirus cases has soared to 1,950 across the UK, up by 407 in 24 hours.

Government ministers are set to “order a harder” clampdown, specifically to London in socialising to limit deaths across the capital as “heavy numbers of Londoner’s” are set to catch the virus.

Hospitals across London are already struggling to cope with the large number of confirmed cases, and the fear is even greater as it is unknown how many people are infected, as most are not being tested.

The Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab has warned Britons on Tuesday, to “avoid all non-essential foreign travel for 30 days,” as the coronavirus pandemic grows.

Speaking in the House of Commons Raab told MPs the “fast-changing international circumstances” of the pandemic requires the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to change travel advice.