UK boosts help for abuse victims during virus lockdown

British government on Saturday launched a campaign to help domestic violence victims during coronavirus lockdown following an increase in number seeking assistance, while figures showed that number of people in U.K. dying after testing positive for COVID-19 neared 10,000.

Home Secretary Priti Patel also said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson needs to take time to rest and recuperate following his three-day stint in intensive care with COVID-19. Patel said it was “vital” that prime minister, who remains in a London hospital for a seventh night, returned to full health.

Johnson “continues to make very good progress” at St. Thomas' hospital, his office at 10 Downing Street said in a statement. Johnson was hospitalized on April 5 and was transferred to intensive care unit following day where he received oxygen, but wasn't put on a ventilator. He spent three nights re before moving back to a regular ward on Thursday evening.

Patel, who was hosting her first daily government coronavirus media briefing, also said she was “sorry if people feel that re have been failings” regarding supply of personal protective equipment, or PPE, to staff in National Health Service. government has faced mounting criticism over PPE following sustained reports of some nurses using garb bags to protect mselves. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said earlier that 19 front-line NHS staff have died after testing positive for COVID-19.

Patel said government will bolster online support services and hotlines for domestic violence and launched a national communications campaign that aims to “signpost victims” to where y can access help.

“For victims of se crimes, home is t safe haven that it should be," she said.

Though re hasn't yet been a sustained rise in reports of domestic abuse during lockdown to police, Patel said that re has been an “extremely concerning” increase in those seeking help.

She ted that last week Britain's national domestic violence hotline reported a 120% increase in number of calls it received in just one 24-hour period. She also said government's “stay at home” mess didn't apply to victims of domestic abuse and that authorities will work to ensure re is refuge for victims and ir children if y need to escape ir home.

Martin Hewitt, chairman of National Police Chiefs’ Council, warned abusers to “t think that this is a time where you can get away with this.”

Overall, he said re h been a 21% fall in overall crime in last four weeks compared to same period last year and that as of Thursday, police h issued 1,084 fines for breaches of coronavirus regulations in England and Wales. He said a “small mirity of people” have failed to follow government’s guidance and that police will publish enforcement data every two weeks during crisis.

“In those few cases where police forces have me mistakes with those new regulations, y have quickly sought to correct m and provide clarity,” he said.

Earlier, government reported 917 more people died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, taking total to 9,875. increase was slightly lower than daily high of 980 recorded in previous 24-hour period. That increase was higher than daily peaks recorded in Italy and Spain, two European countries with highest total number of coronavirus-related deaths. Comparisons may t be precise. U.K. deaths reported each day occurred over several days or even weeks, and total only includes deaths in hospitals.

For most people, coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for ors, especially older ults and people with health problems, it can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia.