UK not considering lift of coronavirus lockdown measures yet: minister

Britain is not considering lifting the lockdown that was in place almost four weeks ago to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak given “deeply worrying” increases in the death toll, a senior minister said on Sunday.

Britain is at or near the peak of a health crisis in which more than 15,000 people have died – the fifth highest national death toll of a pandemic linked to at least 150,000 deaths worldwide.

The latest data show 15,464 people have died in British hospitals after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, a total that has increased by more than 800 for three days running.

A further 2,500 had died in care homes during the week to April 13, according to the National Care Forum, a representative body for the adult social care sector.