Coronavirus death toll in UK rises by lowest since lockdown began
The death toll in the UK from confirmed cases of coronavirus has risen by 36 to 41,698, the government said today.
The increase is the lowest recorded since 22 March, the day before Prime Minister Boris Johnson implemented lockdown measures.
The daily tally of deaths related to Covid-19 usually dips over the weekend due to delays in reporting numbers from hospitals and other institutions.
The figures come the day before the government is due to ease lockdown measures further, allowing some non-essential retailers to reopen.
On 24 March, the day after lockdown began, the death toll rose by 35.
The total number of tests carried out in the UK rose to 6,772,602 by 4pm yesterday, with 295,889 cases confirmed to have been positive.
The Department of Health and Social Care said data for the number of people tested has been “temporarily paused to ensure consistent reporting” across all methods of testing.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan today issued a reminder to Londoners that lockdown has not been lifted, saying: “The virus is still out there.”
Other new measures being implemented tomorrow include a mandate to wear face coverings on public transport, and the introduction of so-called support bubble households.