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Coronavirus Kent: Live updates on the impact of Covid-19 pandemic across the county

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In Kent, a total of 108 people have died from Covid-19

The total across the UK has now reached 7,097 increasing by 938 in just 24 hours.

The numbers of people in Kent who have died now stands at at least 89
The numbers of people in Kent who have died now stands at at least 89

Today, the NHS has set up a hotline for employees suffering with mental health issues during the coronavirus pandemic.

All 1.4 million of its staff will be able to phone the emergency line.

Stand in Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told a Downing Street briefing 14,000 tests in one day was a record and in part was due to the opening of nine more drive-thru testing sites.

The figures is still way short of the 100,000 a day by the end of the month pledge made last week by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Boris Johnson was last night still in intensive care but was said to be "stable and in good spirits" while cabinet minister Michael Gove became the latest top figure to start self-isolating after a family member experiencing symptoms.

Deaths have now passed 6,000 and cases have surpassed 50,000.

Follow our live blog for today's coronavirus updates:

5pm - Press Briefing

In today’s daily news briefing, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the government will provide £750 million funding for frontline charities across the UK.

£370m of that will go to smaller local charities that provide essential services such as hospices and those helping domestic abuse victims.

The Chancellor also says the Prime Minister's condition is improving, as he continues to recover from coronavirus in intensive care.

4.30pm - UK figures

In the UK's hospitals there were 938 more deaths reported yesterday, in the same period an additional 5,491 people tested positive for coronavirus.

There are now more than 60,000 cases and have been more than 7,000 Covid-19 deaths.

2.18pm - 108 people in Kent with coronavirus have died.

Across the country a further 828 people have died, according to NHS England.

12.54am - Post Office screens

Counter staff and customers will benefit from extra protection from the spread of coronavirus thanks to new safety measures.

The Post Office has become the latest retail business to erect barriers in stores across Kent in a bid to reduce transmission of the virus to employees who remain at work in essential sectors of the economy. Read more here.

11.10am - Emergency fund for morgues

Up to 3,000 bodies could be stored in three pop-up mortuaries which Kent County Council will spend £11 million building.

The morgues will be built at locations in Kent over the next 10 months as part of worst-case scenario plans. Read more here.

11am - Help for Sevenoaks businesses

Businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak are to benefit from a multi-million pound lifeline.

Eligible firms in Sevenoaks and the surrounding area will receive support totalling more than £20 million in the next two weeks as authorities look to cushion the blow to the economy caused by the pandemic. Read more here.

10.28am - Business helpline

A new helpline set up to help Kent businesses during the Covid-19 crisis has received more than 800 calls in its first five days.

The Covid-19 Business Helpline has been launched by the Kent and Medway Growth Hub, Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce's support service run on behalf of Kent County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership. Read more here.

10.10am - Gills boss donates to NHS

Gillingham boss Steve Evans has made a “sizeable donation” to the NHS and blasted those who are flouting the social distancing rules.

Members of the public are being told by the government to stay at home to stop the spread of coronavirus. Read more here.

9.47am - Police break up rave

A firefighter tried to lift his neighbours' spirits by playing a DJ set from his balcony - but police were called after people began gathering in the street below.

Myles Goulding, who works for London Fire Brigade and DJs at parties and events in his spare time decided to host the party in Manley Boulevard, Snodland, "to uplift everyone and just have a good time" during the lockdown.

9.21am - Call the Midwife tour up for grabs

A number of exciting money-can't-buy experiences are up for grabs to raise money for the NHS.

Among them are a chance to tour the set of Call The Midwife, which has previously been filmed at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. Read more here.

9.08am - Airbnb changes

Owners of Airbnb holiday rentals are being asked to reject bookings to discourage would-be holidaymakers during the coronavirus crisis - but are the following advice?

With temperatures in Kent expected to soar beyond the 20C mark this weekend, some fear a repeat of scenes in March which saw visitors descending on the county for a day by the sea or in the Garden of England's countryside. Read more here.

8.50am - Paramedic's plea

An ambulance worker is urging people to take lockdown rules seriously after she drove past a group drinking in a beer garden.

Sophie-Louise Dennis said she saw between 10-15 people socialising at the pub in Tonbridge Road, Maidstone and felt moved to record her plea.

8.34am - Stuck in Punjab

A Gravesend councillor fears he and other Gravesham residents stuck in the Punjab region are being forgotten by the British Government.

Last month Cllr Sangha described how the group of stranded Brits had been treated like pariahs as the Indian police enforced lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus - with some having their hands stamped and doors marked to indicate potential virus carriers. Read more here.

8.16am - Technology for patients

A builder has launched a fundraiser to buy tablets for isolated patients after his NHS friends told of the heartbreak of watching them spend their final moments unable to see loved ones.

Dayle Bulley, from Margate, says after having to postpone his own work, he wanted to find a way to help during the crisis and turned to those working on the frontline to see what he could do. Read more here.

7.47am - Bloodriders

A charity which carries blood and samples between hospitals across Kent is now operating around the clock to support the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.

ServKent's 175 volunteers, also known as 'bloodrunners,' are working 24/7 transporting biological products between hospitals and trusts, including suspected Covid-19 samples for testing. Read more here.

7.32am - Mental Health hotline for NHS

NHS workers in Kent can now access a new mental health hotline if they feel they need extra support during the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes as part of special measures introduced to support the 1.4 million people in our health service. Read more here.

7.17am - International update

A two-month lockdown has been lifted on Wuhan in China.

The city of 11 million people has registered around 2,500 deaths.

Meanwhile in France, Paris has tightened its restrictions and banned daytime jogging.

7am - Boris Johnson

The Prime Minister has spent a second night in intensive care with coronavirus but Downing Street has said he is stable and has not been on a ventilator.

His illness has prompted questions over who will make any big decisions.

Dominic Raab's powers are limited - so the decision on extending the lockdown could be delayed.

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

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