The number of people who have died with coronavirus in UK hospitals, care homes and the wider community has risen by 315, bringing the total number of fatalities to 28,446.
The official Department of Health figures were offered by cabinet minister Michael Gove during Sunday's news briefing.
Mr Gove revealed that 76,496 coronavirus tests were carried out in the 24 hours to 9am this morning, bringing the total to 1,206,405.
He said there will be a time, when the virus is under control, when "deep and probing questions" about the government's handling of the crisis can be asked.
"Undoubtedly this government, like all governments, will have made mistakes," he said.
Advertisement
Mr Gove acknowledged that lockdown measures will have an impact on people's "mental and emotional well-being" as well as economic activity.
However he warned that relaxing the measures prematurely would be "the worst thing to do" and could risk a second spike in the infection.
More from Coronavirus
Professor Stephen Powis told the briefing that the current R number across the UK is 0.7 – meaning the lockdown restrictions to slow the spread are the virus are working.
He said more than 200,000 key workers and their families had been tested for the virus and the criteria for testing had been extended to anyone over 65 displaying symptoms and anyone who has to travel to work.
Mr Gove confirmed that Britain will trial a new coronavirus tracking programme next week on the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England in a bid to minimise the risk of a second wave of the infection.
"This week we will be piloting new test, track and trace procedures on the Isle of Wight with a view to having that in place more widely later this month," he told the news conference.
Each home nation also disclosed the latest daily figures for hospital deaths on Sunday.
In England, the number of people who have died with the virus in hospitals has risen by 327 to 21,180. These figures are calculated over a different time period.
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
In Northern Ireland, five more people have died with COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 381.
A further 14 people have died in Wales, taking the total number of deaths there to 983, Public Health Wales said.
Scotland deaths have risen by 12 to 1,571, with a total of 60,295 people being tested for the virus.
Yesterday, a further Read More – Source
[contf]
[contfnew]
sky news
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
