UK likely to extend coronavirus lockdown as death toll tops 11,000

The U.K. looks set to extend its lockdown measures into early or perhaps even late May as death toll soars.

The number of deaths in U.K. hospitals now stands at 11,329, according to Johns Hopkins University, up by 717 from the previous day.

In total, the U.K. has almost 90,000 confirmed cases of the virus. The number of deaths could be much higher as there are concerns over the extent of outbreaks in U.K. care homes.

Foreign Minister Dominic Raab is deputizing for the prime minister as questions are being raised over just how long the U.K.’s lockdown, now in its fourth week, will last.

On Monday, Raab said that it was too early to lift restrictions, commenting at the U.K. government’s daily press conference that “we’re still not passed the peak of this virus so please continue to follow the advice now more than ever to stay home, save lives and protect our NHS.”