Doctors warn coronavirus could overwhelm NHS ‘within weeks’

Intensive care audit shows sharp rise in admissions to critical care as London hospitals struggle to cope

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The numbers of coronavirus patients needing life-or-death care have been doubling every three days, a report by senior doctors has revealed. London is worst affected, but the rest of the UK will soon be hit with a similar surge, the document warns.

The audit of intensive care carried out since the epidemic began shows that patients needing the highest level of help soared from 50 on 9 March to almost 200 on 19 March - and doctors fear this spike could turn into a nationwide surge within a few weeks.