First Covid-19 death in UK marked by moment of silence

Different sets of Government statistics up to December last year show between 596 and 615 people in the City of York Council area have died while suffering from Covid.

The UK’s first confirmed case of Covid-19 was discovered after paramedics were called to the Staycity apartment-hotel in Paragon Street, on January 29, 2020.

How The Press reported the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in the UK (Image: Newsquest)

The first reported death due to Covid-19 in the UK was reported on March 5, 2020.

Since then, 230,626 deaths in the UK have been recorded up to December 2023, the figures say.

York had a coronavirus death rate of 282 per 100,000 people – below England's overall death rate of 342 per 100,000 people.

The day of reflection comes as charities representing those who have lost loved ones to the virus and those still struggling with long Covid have called on the Government for more support.

The day will include a minute's silence on Sunday (March 3) at midday.

Rivka Gottlieb, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, said: "The awful truth is very little has changed since the pandemic first hit the UK, and if a new disease struck tomorrow we would be just as poorly prepared and likely repeat many of the same mistakes."

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is now on its sixth module, investigating the impact of the pandemic on the publicly and privately funded adult social care sector.

The current module will also address the steps taken in adult care and residential homes to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Looking back at Covid-19 infection, daily coronavirus cases peaked across the UK on January 4, 2022, when over 275,600 cases were recorded, according to Government figures.

In York, they peaked when 13,343 cases were recorded throughout January 2022.

'We do not have a 'cure' on the horizon'

This is compared to just 83 cases in November 2023 – the final full month with reporting on positive Covid-19 tests.

But despite the drop in positive tests, people are still dealing with the impact of infection.

The most recent NHS GP Survey found five per cent of patients across England said they were experiencing long Covid in 2023.

In the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire integrated care system, which covers York, 5.2 per cent of patients said they were still experiencing Covid-19 symptoms 12 weeks after infection.

The Long Covid SOS charity said further funding towards long Covid research and services is needed, as those living with the condition feel "the world has moved on and left them behind".

Ondine Sherwood, co-founder of the charity, said: "We do not have a 'cure' on the horizon, and this is unlikely because long Covid presents in so many different ways.

"We do have NHS England Long Covid clinics, but they vary enormously – many are not multidisciplinary and some have no doctors at all."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Throughout the pandemic, the Government acted to save lives and livelihoods, prevent the NHS being overwhelmed, and deliver a world-leading vaccine rollout which protected millions.

"We have always said there are lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and are committed to learning from the Covid-19 Inquiry’s findings."

They said £314 million has been invested on long Covid specialist services throughout England.