UK coronavirus deaths have smallest one-day increase since start of lockdown
The UK’s number of coronavirus deaths had it smallest one-day increase yesterday since lockdown was implemented on 23 March.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said at the daily press briefing that 111 people died from Covid-19 yesterday, bringing the total to 39,045.
On Sunday, 1,570 tested positive for coronavirus, which represented “downward progress in the number of confirmed cases”, according to Hancock.
He added: “We can see from these charts the pattern right across the board, which is that on the substance, we’re making significant progress but there is still more to be done.”
It comes as the UK further eased lockdown today, allowing people to meet with a maximum of five people from outside their household.
Primary school students from reception, year one and year six are also going back to the classroom from today.
A major part of the government’s plan out of lockdown is the NHS track and trace programme, which was launched last week.
The programme sees 25,000 contact tracers track down anyone who has been in close contact with a positive coronavirus case.
However, there has been some press reports that there have been problems with the system and that it was not completely ready to be launched.
Hancock said that a majority of the 9,000 new Covid-19 cases that have occurred since the new system was put in place have been contacted.
“It’s successful, I’m very glad to report that those who are asked to isolate by the contact tracers are expressing the willingness to do so and we track that very carefully,” he said.
“The level of incidence of disease has come down and so actually we have more capacity than we need, this is a good thing.”