A patient with underlying health conditions has died after testing positive for coronavirus, the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust has said, making them the first person in the UK to lose their life while having the disease.
It is thought they contracted the virus in the UK.
The older patient had been “in an out of hospital” for other reasons but was admitted on Wednesday evening to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading and tested positive.
The news comes as cases of coronavirus in the UK have more than doubled in 48 hours as the country moves towards the “delay phase” of tackling the virus.
A statement from the trust said: “Sadly, we can confirm that an older patient with underlying health conditions has died.
“The patient has previously been in and out of hospital for non-coronavirus reasons, but on this occasion was admitted and last night tested positive for coronavirus.
“The family has been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
“We will not be commenting further and ask that everybody respects the family’s privacy.”
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: “I am very sorry to report a patient in England who tested positive for Covid-19 has sadly died. I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their request for privacy is respected.
“The patient, who was being treated at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, was an older patient who had underlying health conditions. We believe they contracted the virus in the UK and contact tracing is already underway.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson added: “Our sympathies are very much with the victim and their family,” while Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “My sincere condolences to their family and loved ones. We will work tirelessly to protect the public from this disease.”
Some 116 people have tested positive, including 105 in England, two in Wales, six in Scotland and three in Northern Ireland.
Just two days ago there were 51 UK cases.
Officials later confirmed 18 people diagnosed with coronavirus have since recovered while 45 of the confirmed cases are being treated at home.
Coronavirus has spread from Wuhan in China to countries across the world, with tens of thousands of confirmed cases and thousands of deaths worldwide.
The first cases confirmed in the UK were two members of the same family who tested positive on January 31.
Last week, the Foreign Office confirmed a British tourist who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined in Japan, had died from the virus.
Meanwhile government advice was updated to urge anyone returning to the UK from any part of Italy, rather than just the north of the country, to self-isolate if they develop symptoms.
Downing Street on Thursday said it is “highly likely” that coronavirus will now spread in a “significant way”.
Earlier, Prof Whitty warned that critical care beds in the NHS could come under intense pressure during a coronavirus epidemic.
Of the new cases, 17 people had recently travelled from countries or clusters already under investigation, while eight people contracted the virus in the UK and are being investigated.
Out of the cases identified in England, 25 of them are in London.
The North West and South East each have 17 cases, the South West 15, the East of England eight, the Midlands nine and the North East and Yorkshire 10 cases.
Four other cases are still to be determined.
Local regions reported that two new cases were in Staffordshire, one was linked to the University of Sussex in Brighton, two were in Wigan, one in Rotherham, two in Liverpool, and one in Birmingham.