Coronavirus news you may have missed overnight: Trump backtracks on disinfectant suggestion as doctors launch legal challenge over government PPE failures

More than 143,464 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in UK, with 19,506 deaths

The coronavirus continues to affect nearly every country in the world and every aspect of our lives. The UK has passed its one-month mark of lockdown, and Britons can expect to continue living under social distancing measures until at least early May, unless an extension is announced before then.

Over 143,464 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK. Public Health England recorded a total of 19,506 hospital deaths as of Friday.

Here is your daily briefing of coronavirus news you may have missed overnight.

Trump claims he spoke ‘sarcastically’ when suggesting people inject disinfectant to cure coronavirus

The US president backtracked on a suggestion he made on Thursday about possibly injecting disinfectant to get rid of the coronavirus, saying he was being “sarcastic”.

“I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters … to see what would happen,” he said as he signed another coronavirus relief bill into law on Friday.

Trump also said he was asking his medical advisers to examine the effect of sunlight on the virus instead of disinfectants, after a health official spoke of a study suggesting ultraviolet rays successfully kill Covid-19 on surfaces.

His comments come after he suggested an “injection” of disinfectant could be effecting in “cleaning” the lungs of people infected with coronavirus. He then instructed his top public health officials to “check that”.

Almost immediately, his remarks were rejected by doctors and his public health advisers. Later in the day, the parent company of disinfectants Dettol, Cillit Bang and Lysol released a a strong warning that “under no circumstance” should its products be injected or ingested by the human body.

Married doctors launch legal challenge over UK government’s PPE failures

A married couple who are both doctors are bringing a legal challenge against the government over its failure to provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to NHS and care workers.

Meenal Viz, a clinical fellow in medicine, and GP trainee Nishant Joshi brought the complaint against Public Health England and the Department of Health in a pre-action letter this week.

Their challenge is based on the guidance that they say diverges from both World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and Britain’s own health and safety legislation.

The couple also claim it is unclear, puts health workers at elevated risk of contracting coronavirus and does not address increased risks to staff who are black or from other minority ethnic groups.

“Every time a healthcare worker becomes hospitalised with Covid-19, it exacts an extraordinary toll on our friends, family and colleagues,” they said in a statement.

“To sedate and ventilate your own colleague takes a mental toll on the entire workforce. The government needs to protect us, so that we can protect you.”

US Navy leaders recommend reinstating fired captain who warned of coronavirus

US Navy officials have recommended that Captain Brett Crozier should be restored to his post as commander of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Captain Crozier had sent a letter to the Secretary of Defence asking for help with an outbreak of coronavirus on the vessel, but was relieved of command after the letter was leaked to the media.

The recommendation was made to the defence secretary, Mark Esper, on Friday, from the chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael Gilday, and the acting Navy secretary, James McPherson.

According to The New York Times, Mr Esper caused surprise among the Navy leaders when he asked for more time to consider the reinstatement, as they thought he would leave the decision up to the military chain of command.

Captain Crozier’s crew on the vessel comprised of 4,800 sailors. Approximately 600 of them were eventually diagnosed with Covid-19, including the captain himself. One sailor died of the virus.

Identical twin sisters diagnosed with coronavirus die within days of each other

Identical twin sisters who had worked as nurses at the same hospital have died within days of each other after contracting Covid-19.

Katy and Emma Davis, 37, both had underlying health conditions and had been unwell for some time before testing positive for the virus.

Katy, who worked as a risk and patient safety lead in child health at University Hospital Southampton, died at Southampton General Hospital on Tuesday. Emma, a nurse in the colorectal unit for nine years until 2013, died early on Friday morning.

Their sister Zoe Davis told the BBC: “They always said they had come into the world together and would go out together as well.

“There are no words to describe how special they were.”

5-month-old infant daughter of New York firefighter dies from coronavirus

A New York firefighter’s baby daughter has died from Covid-19, said her family, making her one of the youngest known victims of the highly-contagious disease.

Jay-Natalie, who was just five months old and had a heart condition, spent a month in hospital fighting for her life against coronavirus. She died on Monday, announced Jose Prosper, the president of the Hispanic Society of FDNY.

Her parents were firefighter Jerel La Santa and Lindsey La Santa, who is an employee with the Board of Education.

According to CNN, Jay-Natalie was admitted to hospital with a fever on 21 March. Her grandmother, Wanda La Santa, told CNN her granddaughter’s condition appeared to improve at one point, but she suddenly went into cardiac arrest and doctors were unable to resuscitate her.

Wanda called Jay-Natalie “the most precious thing we had”, and said her son and daughter-in-law are “destroyed” by her death. A GoFundMe page created by Jerel’s aunt has raised US$41,000, four times its original goal, and will go towards Jay-Natalie’s burial and funeral costs.