'Be sensible' plea from Doncaster hospital bosses as coronavirus cases plunge

A spokesman for Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust said there have been no additional cases of COVID-19 patients in the last 48 hours and that cases are now a third of what they were at the height of the crisis.

A statement said: “In the past 48 hours, 0 additional cases of Covid-19 positive patients, four patients home safely, 38 inpatients overall, one third of what it was at the height of the pandemic.

“The sun is shining and summer is here, but please, help us maintain this ground that we have gained - stay two metres apart, be sensible and help us beat Covid-19.”

Yesterday, one new coronavirus death was reported in Doncaster, bringing the town’s death toll to 216 as the UK figure passed 43,000.

Locally, 284 deaths have been recorded in Sheffield, 186 in Rotherham and 140 in Barnsley – all the same figure as yesterday.

The Doncaster figures relate to deaths within hospitals run by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

This includes Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Mexborough’s Montagu Hospital and Bassetlaw Hospital at Worksop.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has said pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers can open from 4 July in England, when social distancing rules will be eased.

He said people should remain 2m apart where possible but a "one metre plus" rule will be introduced.