UK records 881 coronavirus deaths

Britain on Thursday reported 881 more fatalities due to COVID-19, bringing the country's total toll to 7,978, as Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the strict lockdown measures in place in the UK must continue for more time to ensure there is no second wave of the coronavirus.

Raab, who is deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he is in hospital recovering from COVID-19, confirmed that the premier's condition continues to improve as he led the daily Downing Street briefing.

The Prime Minister remains in intensive care, but he continues to make positive steps forwards and is in good spirits, said Raab.

The senior Cabinet minister revealed another record increase in the daily coronavirus related death toll of 881 to hit 7,978 as he urged the British public to continue to follow the government's social distancing guidance, especially over the upcoming Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

After chairing an emergency Cobra committee meeting earlier on Thursday, Raab said the early signs suggest all the lockdown measures are having an impact but it is too early to say that conclusively. Therefore, the measures will have to stay in place until there is evidence that shows the UK has moved beyond the peak".

We are not done yet. We must keep going, he said, in reference to the 21-day lockdown announced by Johnson on March 23 and set to end next Monday.

While the government's decision on the new timescale on the strict stay-at-home measures is not expected until next week, Raab's statement on Thursday indicates the likelihood of the lockdown to spill over into next month.

He said: "We mustn't give the coronavirus a second chance to kill more people. I know it is tough going but this is a team effort.

"After all the efforts everybody has made, after all the sacrifices so many people have made let's not ruin it now. Let's not waste the gains we've made, let's not waste the sacrifices so many people have made. We will only beat the virus if we all stay the course.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's chief scientific adviser who joined Raab at the daily briefing, added that social distancing stops the transmission of the virus in the community and it is clear the measures are having an impact.

We know that social distancing is working and we know that people are doing what they're supposed to do and we need to keep doing that, he said.

He expressed some optimism that the number of new cases have not gone sky high and there might be some flattening" as well as some early signs of a levelling off in hospital admissions.