Coronavirus latest: No new cases in Luton while NHS 111 callers with symptoms drop since March

No new instances of coronavirus have been reported in Luton today, according to Public Health England.
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The number of officially diagnosed cases in the town remains at 668, having risen by just two since last week.

Elsewhere in the county, Central Bedfordshire has 578 (+1) cases, while Bedford has 552 (+4).

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal a large drop in Luton callers with coronavirus symptoms to the NHS 111 service between March and May.

Coronavirus testing     (stock image)Coronavirus testing     (stock image)
Coronavirus testing (stock image)

In Luton, more than half of these (51%) came in just two weeks in March, with only 8% reported in the first two weeks of May.

Separate figures show that the Luton and Beds 111 helpline received a total of 23,455 calls in April - 46% less than in March, when it received 43,676.

Sarah Scobie, deputy director of research at the Nuffield Trust, said: "This month's data suggests that the NHS 111 service is less in demand ... and better able to take the pressure off frontline services.

"A high number of NHS 111 calls and a fall in hospital attendances suggest that people are still making careful choices about going to hospital.

"There are now legitimate concerns that those who do require urgent medical treatment may be put off from seeking help due to fear of infection or a desire to reduce pressure on overstretched health and services, despite some reassurances from the NHS that these services are still open."

Across the UK, the total number of COVID-19 cases stands at 248,818, an increase of 2,412 since yesterday.

The number of coronavirus-related deaths in the UK is 35,341, rising by 545 over the past 24 hours - the biggest daily surge in deaths in over a week.