UK coronavirus deaths up by just 38 as two nations record no increase

The UK’s coronavirus death toll has risen by 38 to 41,736, the government has confirmed.

England’s coronavirus death toll for hospitals climbed by 28 today as two of the four UK nations recorded zero deaths.

NHS England said the nation’s total has climbed to 27,982 deaths in hospitals while Public Health Wales added four who died after testing positive for COVID-19 to its toll, bringing a UK-wide total of 32 for Monday.

Scotland and Northern Ireland recorded no deaths as positive signs the outbreak is slowing down continue to emerge.

However, deaths recorded after a weekend have tended to be lower.

The official UK government’s toll, which includes non hospital deaths and is counted differently to the four nations’ individual reporting, was released later and was higher by six.

The news comes as non-essential shops reopened their doors on Monday as England’s coronavirus rules continue to be relaxed.

Long queues were seen outside several of the thousands of retailers that welcomed back customers.

The businesses were closed on the government’s orders in March as the lockdown was implemented, with authorities aiming to keep only stores deemed essential, like supermarkets, open.

While the government said it will monitor the impact its relaxation of restrictions has on the spread of the coronavirus, chancellor Rishi Sunak said more money had to start moving again to protect people’s jobs.

“Primarily we need to reopen our economy safely and slowly,” he told the Andrew Marr Show.

“That is the most important thing, to try and safeguard as many of those jobs as possible.”

Shops have taken steps to make their premises better able to handle social distancing while the two-metre distance rule, designed to slow how quickly the virus spreads and considered a hindrance for some businesses, is due to be reviewed.

Wearing face coverings on public transport is now mandatory as part of the measures designed to make releasing the lockdown safer.

By 4.45pm on Monday, there were 296,857 recorded infections in the UK since the outbreak began.

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