Coronavirus deaths rise by 324 to reach 38,161
An additional 324 people have died from coronavirus in the UK, chancellor Rishi Sunak said this afternoon, taking the total death toll to 38,161.
In total, 131,458 tests were carried out yesterday, and 2,095 people tested positive.
Yesterday 377 more deaths were reported, which was down from 412 the day before.
The figures represent a rise from the number of deaths recorded over the Bank Holiday weekend, which were among the lowest reported during the crisis.
Including deaths from suspected cases of Covid-19, the UK’s death toll from the disease is over 48,000.
The new figures come after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that people could meet in groups of up to six outside from Monday.
However, Johnson’s spokesman confirmed that despite the loosening of the measures, the alert level for the virus remained at four.
According to the government’s scale, that means the likelihood of transmitting the virus remains high.
Johnson had been expected to lower the level from four to three yesterday, but did not mention it.
On Wednesday during the House of Commons Liaison Committee, before the lockdown-easing announcement, the prime minister instructed MPs: “We’re coming down from level 4 to level 3 we hope, we’re taking a decision tomorrow.”