Covid-19 is causing people with other serious illnesses to avoid hospital

The threat of Covid-19 is causing some patients not to seek help for health emergencies, putting lives at risk, experts report.

The number of people in England attending hospital with suspected heart attacks has halved since early March, falling to 150 a day from a daily average of 300, according to the British Heart Foundation. Failing to seek help for heart seizure symptoms could result in long-term damage, greater likelihood of needing intensive care treatment or even death, the organisation says.