UK coronavirus death toll rises to 233 as shoppers warned on stockpiling

The number of people across the country who have died after testing positive for Covid-19 reached 233, with a 41-year-old patient thought to be the youngest victim in the UK since the outbreak began.

All 53 whose deaths were announced in England on Saturday had underlying health conditions and the eldest was 94, NHS England said.

Wales's death toll has risen to five, Scotland's now stands at seven and Northern Ireland's remains at one.

UK death toll rises as shoppers are warned to stop stockpiling | Getty Images

The new figures came as the retail industry insisted there was enough food for everyone and ministers said rationing was unnecessary.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said there was no shortage of food in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, with manufacturers having increased production by 50%.

At the daily Downing Street press conference, NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis said the country should be ashamed that key medical staff were left unable to buy food at the end of their shifts.

Mr Eustice said that people buying more than they needed meant key NHS workers fighting the disease were faced with empty shelves when they tried to shop.

He said the message to the public was: "Be responsible when you shop and think of others.

"Buying more than you need means others may be left without. We all have a role to play in ensuring we all come through this together."

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said there was "plenty of food" in the supply chain.

"The issue is around people and lorries, so getting that food right into the front line onto our shelves, which is why we've seen some shortages," she said.

"There is a billion pounds' more food in people's houses than there was three weeks ago, so we should make sure we eat some of it."

Mr Powis referred to a video posted online by a critical care nurse in tears after she was unable to find anything to buy to eat at the end of her shift.

"Frankly we should all be ashamed that that has to happen. It is unacceptable. These are the very people we will all need to look after perhaps us or our loved ones in the weeks ahead," he said.

"It is critical that by not stockpiling, by not selfishly shopping, that our health workers are able to get access to what they need too."