The Government is set to extend the coronavirus lockdown amid renewed warnings that it is still too soon to start easing the restrictions.
Ministers are expected to agree a further three weeks of social distancing controls, amid signs the epidemic in the UK is beginning to peak.
Downing Street has said the three-week review of the lockdown regulations will go ahead as planned in line with the coronavirus legislation.
However, ministers and officials have repeatedly made clear that there is no prospect of any imminent relaxation.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said the party will back an extension, but has called on ministers to set out an "exit strategy" explaining how they will eventually be lifted.
Speaking at the daily No 10 press conference on Wednesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there could be no "let up" in the efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
"We cannot let go of the hard work that has been done so far. This shared sacrifice is starting to work but we will not lift these measures until it is safe to do so," he said.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab - standing in for Boris Johnson as he continues to recuperate from the disease - will chair a meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday morning.
It is expected that ministers will be briefed on the latest situation by the Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
Mr Raab will then lead a meeting of the Cobra civil contingencies committee when it is expected that the extension of the lockdown will be formally approved.
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Welsh street party revellers accuse police of 'spoiling their fun' during lockdown knees up
Almost 30 people partying together during the coronavirus lockdown got annoyed with police for “spoiling their fun” over the Easter weekend. A total of 23 adults and four children were found enjoying a street party in Treboeth, Swansea on Saturday evening. South Wales Police received reports of the gathering just after 5pm, Wales Online reports.
Testing kits for care homes
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said coronavirus testing kits will be made available “immediately” for care homes.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Hancock said: “The systems are in place so that they can get the tests immediately, yes.
“The tests don’t yet come through the post, we’re working on that, that’s a new technology that doesn’t yet exist, but immediately - yes.”
On health minister Nadine Dorries’s comments that people should stop asking questions about the exit strategy, Mr Hancock said: “Well I think what Nadine was saying is the idea that we’ll immediately... we’ll just switch off all of the measures and return to some kind of... to things exactly as they were - that is not likely in the short term.”
He added: “The key word in that is full, she was being quite precise I think, and it is too early to say now that we should remove the measures.
“And people can see that whilst we’ve may be reaching a peak, the numbers aren’t coming down yet, and the point that Nadine was making is that we will not be returning to some... just straight back exactly how things were before. This will take time.”
North Wales farmer dies after contracting coronavirus in hospital
A North Wales farmer has died in hospital after contracting coronavirus. Glyn Herbert Jones, 80, of Bryn Mawr, Northop, died on Monday morning having tested positive for Covid-19. He was admitted to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd after suffering a minor stroke before being transferred to Holywell Community Hospital.
Latest UK figures
According to the latest figures, 12,868 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Tuesday, up by 761 from the previous day.
However, England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty warned of a possible “bounce” in the numbers when the next set of figures are released due to delays in reporting deaths over the Easter weekend.
He said that while the UK was “probably” reaching the peak of the epidemic, the high numbers of deaths were expected to continue for a “short while” to come.
“We do all think that this has flattened out (but) sadly we do think that high numbers of deaths will continue for a short while on from where we are at the moment,” he said.
“At the moment, we are not yet at the point where we can say confidently and safely this is now past the peak and we can start thinking very much about the next phases.”
What Government meetings are taking place today
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab - standing in for Boris Johnson as he continues to recuperate from the disease - will chair a meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday morning.
It is expected that ministers will be briefed on the latest situation by the Government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
Mr Raab will then lead a meeting of the Cobra civil contingencies committee when it is expected that the extension of the lockdown will be formally approved.
The leaders of the devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will take part by video link.
However, even before the meeting, the Stormont executive announced social distancing rules would continue in Northern Ireland at least until May.
The UK Government briefing takes place at around 5pm today.
Lockdown set to be extended
The Government is set to extend the coronavirus lockdown amid renewed warnings that it is still too soon to start easing the restrictions.
Ministers are expected to agree a further three weeks of social distancing controls, amid signs the epidemic in the UK is beginning to peak.
Downing Street has said the three-week review of the lockdown regulations will go ahead as planned in line with the coronavirus legislation.
However, ministers and officials have repeatedly made clear that there is no prospect of any imminent relaxation.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said the party will back an extension, but has called on ministers to set out an “exit strategy” explaining how they will eventually be lifted.
Speaking at the daily No 10 press conference on Wednesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there could be no “let up” in the efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
“We cannot let go of the hard work that has been done so far. This shared sacrifice is starting to work but we will not lift these measures until it is safe to do so,” he said.
Bore da
Bore da and welcome to our live blog. We’ll be bringing you all the latest information and coronavirus advice. Tweet me @sarahlhodgson1, message me on Facebook at Sarah Hodgson Daily Post or email me sarah.hodgson@reachplc.com
