UK: First patient discharged from London's Nightingale hospital after recovering from COVID-19

The NHS Nightingale Hospital in London on Sunday discharged its first patient after he recovered from the new coronavirus. The emergency facility was built in only nine days to boost COVID-19 treatment capacity in London, one of the UK's hotspots for the disease.

On Sunday, the hospital said 58-year old Simon Chung became its first coronavirus patient to be discharged. Director of Nursing, Eamonn Sullivan, called it a "huge moment" saying Chung's recovery was a source of motivation for hospital staff.

Workers of the hospital gathered outside to see off the patient, cheering and whooping as the ambulance carrying him drove off. Britain reported 596 more coronavirus-related hospital deaths on Sunday to raise the total to 16,060 dead.

Sunday's count is the lowest since April 6 when 439 deaths were reported. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.