UK begins 'ventilator rationing' as coronavirus cases rise: Report

As the death toll due to coronavirus in the UK continued to rise, reports said the National Health Service(NHS) was resorting to "ventilator rationing".

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The chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson had earlier told the BBC that hospitals had seen an "explosion of demand... in seriously ill patients".

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"They talk about wave, after wave after wave," he said. "the word that's often used to me is a sort of continuous tsunami," Hopson said.

"We're now seeing 30, 40 and even some places 50 percent sickness rates," he said, adding that there was also a "real problem" with ventilator capacity in hospitals.

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The UK government had ordered 10,000 emergency ventilators to help tackle the pandemic from billionaire James Dyson.

Dyson's company said that it was producing "CoVent" at the request of Prime Minister Boris Johnson while also promising to donate 5,000 to the international relief effort.

"We have received an initial order of 10,000 units from the UK Government, which we will supply on an open-book basis," Dyson said.

According to the latest figures, 463 people have died due to COVID-19 in the UK, with over 9,500 people infected. London has been the worst hit due to the virus with the British government set to open a temporary 4,000-bed hospital at an exhibition centre in the city.

British media reports said like the London facility another ten facilities would be opened across the country.