Coronavirus UK live: Priti Patel – 'I am sorry if people feel there have been failings' on PPE - as it happened

• The UK hospital death toll rose to 9,875 after a further 917 people died in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, up from 8,958 the previous day.
• Turkey has supplied the UK with 250,000 items of protective equipment, the Ministry of Defence announced. The shipment includes 50,000 N-95 face masks; 100,000 surgical masks; and 100,000 protective suits; and will be taken to a regional NHS distribution hub to be delivered to medical centres across the country.
  
• The seemingly disproportionate effect of Covid-19 on people from BAME backgrounds needs to be urgently investigated by the government, according to the head of the British Medical Association, whose comments came after it was revealed that 19 NHS workers have died after contracting coronavirus.
• The health secretary Matt Hancock faced a backlash after he said PPE was “a precious resource” that health staff should not “overuse”. This angered many in the health sector, including the Royal College of Nursing who called the suggestion that health professionals who don’t have the supplies they need were abusing or overusing PPE offensive.
• The home secretary Priti Patel launched a national communications campaign for those at risk of domestic abuse to signpost victims to where they can access help. Up to £2m will also be used to enhance online support services and helplines for domestic abuse.

Anyone who needs help in a domestic abuse situation, but is fearful an abuser may hear them calling, can dial 999 and press 55, which will let the police know they need assistance.

• And finally, the prime minister Boris Johnson “continues to make very good progress” in his recovery at St Thomas’ hospital.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to everybody who got in touch today with a story and to all of you for reading along.

That’s it from us here on the UK side, but you can head over to our global live blog where our worldwide coverage of the coronavirus pandemic continues.

This is from the BBC’s Jessica Parker.

In an update sent out on Friday (yesterday), Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust warns staff it could run out of disposable gowns by Sunday.

Patel, asked where she had been in recent weeks, said she had been working “virtually every single day” on a range of policy areas related to the pandemic.

Whether it’s through the visa changes that I’ve brought in over the last three weeks or whether it’s the work of the Border Force where we were absolutely prioritising medical equipment, these are the changes that I have been working on.

Patel said it it would be wrong to speculate about when the restrictions will be lifted, adding:

When it comes to the long-term situation none of us can stand here today - and it would be wrong for us to do this - and speculate in terms of when restrictions might move and when they will be lifted

This government, and rightly so, is following the scientific advice through, which meets twice a week, Sage, to look at the type of measures and approaches that we are taking as a government.

They are taking questions from the media now.

Patel, when pressed to apologise to NHS workers over a lack of personal protective equipment, couldn’t quite do it. She said:

I’m sorry if people feel that there have been failings.

After being asked twice if she would apologise to NHS staff and their families over the lack of “necessary PPE” that has been linked to NHS workers becoming infected and dying, she said:

I’ve been very clear in what I have said and I’m sorry that people feel that way.

Powis has reiterated that the NHS remains available for people who are unwell with conditions that are not coronavirus and people should access services in the way they always have done.

It is a bank holiday weekend, general practices are open, pharmacies are.

So if you are unwell with a condition that is not coronavirus - if you have symptoms of a heart attack or symptoms of a stroke, if you have a sick child that’s deteriorating, if you’re a pregnant woman and you are worried about the movement of your baby - then you should be accessing services in the same way that you always have done.

The NHS is open for business and capable of managing people with a wide range of illnesses.

Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director, is speaking now.

He acknowledged anger at the few members of the public ignoring the rules and paid tribute to the vast majority complying.

Transport use remains low.

There has been a stabilisation in the number of new cases, “by and large” this has levelled off, he said.

In turn, this is translating into early signs of stabilisation and first signs of a plateau in the number of people being hospitalised.

We are still seeing high numbers of deaths – this will be the very final thing that will start to decrease. As long as people continue to follow the rules, this will begin to translate into a reduction in the number of people dying.

Hewitt said the National Police Chiefs’ Council will publish enforcement data every fortnight throughout the crisis.

Hewitt said that “in those few cases” where officers or police forces have “made mistakes in interpreting the new regulations” they have quickly sought to correct them and provide the necessary clarity.

Hewitt said since the new powers have been introduced, most people have quickly understood why it’s important to follow the rules and no enforcement has been necessary.

However, a small minority of people have refused to follow the instructions and officers have had to use their enforcement powers.

He said next week they will publish the data on their enforcement so far, which will include the Easter weekend, but early data from 37 forces reveal 1,084 fines have been issued in England and Wales up to 8 April, an average of less than 84 per day across those forces.

Hewitt reinforced the words of the home secretary to victims of domestic abuse – “we will come when you call for help”.

And to abusers, he said – “do not think this is a time when you can get away with this”.

We will still arrest, we will still bring into custody, and we will still prosecute.

Martin Hewitt, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, is speaking now.

He has given a number of examples of how the police continue to keep the country safe during the lockdown, including a man in London who was jailed for stealing PPE from a hospital.

The National Crime Agency is taking down fraudulent websites and email addresses.

He said initial figures from all forces show a 21% fall in overall crime across the last four weeks compared to the same period last year.

Keep reporting crime to us. Our teams are working round the clock to keep you safe and respond to emergencies.

Patel has thanked police for “engaging with the public constructively” in enforcing physical distancing measures.

She said the vast majority of people were following the guidelines, but the police “will be unafraid” to act if people choose to endanger the lives of others and flout the rules.

Patel said it should be perpetrators who should have to leave the family homes, but this is not always possible.

To ensure victims have a safe place to go to, the government is “looking at alternative accommodation” to provide refuge at this time.

Patel said though there has not yet been a sustained rise in reports of domestic abuse to the police, there has been an increase in those seeking help for domestic abuse, which is “extremely concerning”.

Anyone in immediate danger should dial 999 and press 55 on a mobile if you’re unable to talk.

Patel has launched a national communications campaign to reach out to those who are at risk of abuse to signpost victims to where they can access help they need at this time.

It will tell them that they are not alone.

She is also providing up to £2m to enhance online support services and helplines for domestic abuse.

2:05

Patel said the crisis is changing the challenges we face in terms of crime.

Total crime has dropped as people follow the guidelines and stay at home, but criminality continues to adapted.

Fraudsters have caused losses of £1.8m to victims and children are being exploited online.

Last week, the national domestic abuse helpline reported a 120% increase in the number of calls it received in one 24-hour period.

Patel said the prime minister “continues to make good progress”.

The home secretary is speaking now.

As of 9am today, 78,991 people have tested positive for Covid-19 across the UK, excluding Northern Ireland.

20,101 patients are currently in hospital in Great Britain who have tested positive.

9,875 people have now died, an increase of 917 on yesterday’s figures.