UK coronavirus death toll hits 41,662 after another 181 die
The UK’s official death toll from Covid-19 has risen to 41,662 after another 181 people died having contracted the virus.
Figures were released by the Department of Health this afternoon and consist of deaths in all settings, including care homes.
In total, the government said 6,624,676 tests have been carried out, including 188,794 yesterday. In total, 294,375 people have now tested positive, including 1,425 new cases confirmed yesterday.
Earlier, NHS England announced 67 more deaths had been recorded in hospitals since yesterday. Across the devolved administrations, Scotland announced five more deaths, Wales had six and Northern Ireland had two.
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The latest figures were released after the government announced that people using public transport could be fined if they do not wear face coverings while travelling.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said at Friday’s Downing Street coronavirus briefing that passengers who do not cover their faces when on buses, trains, trams and planes face financial penalties from Monday.
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Meanwhile, reports have suggested England’s chief nurse, Ruth May, was dropped from one of the press conferences after refusing to publicly back Dominic Cummings.
She had been due to appear alongside Matt Hancock on June 1, but was cut when she felt unable to defend the Prime Minister’s chief adviser over decision to move his family 260 miles to Durham during lockdown, according to the Independent.
When asked about the claims, Mr Shapps said: ‘I don’t think it is true. She has attended them many times before.
He added: ‘I am absolutely sure she has been a regular contributor before and I am sure she will be back here again.’
Elsewhere, it has been suggested that pubs and restaurants may need to ban singing and talking loudly in order to be able to relax the two-metre social distancing rule.
According to The Sun, businesses could be allowed to let staff and customers be closer to each other if they can demonstrate measures have been taken to minimise the risk of infection.
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