It was 122,347
Meanwhile, the UK government is expected to meet or “be very close” to its target of 100,000
coronavirus tests a day, housing secretary Robert Jenrick has said, after
Boris Johnson promised a “comprehensive plan” on easing the country’s lockdown restrictions. Figures confirming this are expected to be released today.
Follow the latest updates below:
Government testing target exceeded, says Hancock
6 minutes ago
Prison coronavirus cases rise to total of 716
A total of 345 prisoners have tested positive for coronavirus in 73 jails as of 5pm on Thursday, the Ministry of Justice said.
Some 371 prison staff have also contracted the virus in 64 jails as well as 11 prisoner escort and custody services staff.
The figures reflect the total number of recorded positive cases and not the number of live cases, the MoJ said. This means the number includes those who have recovered.
- Peter Stubley
- 1 May 2020 18:08
12 minutes ago
Could lockdown restrictions be varied by age group?
Officials are also studying deaths among different age groups as part of the planning for any easing of the lockdown, said Professor Powis.
"The over-70s can be absolutely fit and healthy, it's not the case that everybody over 70 has a chronic health condition or underlying disease," he said.
"As we look forward... I think it's a perfectly reasonable question to say how would that work in age groups and age bands?
"Although we do know that complications and unfortunately deaths are more common in the elderly even without complications, I think that's for consideration and that's work that we will need to do as we move forward."
- Peter Stubley
- 1 May 2020 18:03
19 minutes ago
Disproportionate number of BAME deaths 'cause for concern'
The government's testing chief said that they were looking into the disproportionate number of deaths among people and NHS staff from ethnic minorities.
"There is cause for concern and we are talking to NHS England about any advice that should be given to staff," added Professor Newton.
"It's a very important issue, one that a number of people are looking at."
Professor Powis says the NHS was providing support to staff raising concerns about the issue.
- Peter Stubley
- 1 May 2020 18:00
Advertisement
25 minutes ago
Responding to a question about children, Covid-19 and the reopening of schools, Professor Powis said they were still looking at the evidence.
He said: "If a child or young person is symptomatic, then there is no reason to think they wouldn't transmit the virus in the way any other person who is symptomatic would do.
"I think the big question is how many children don't have symptoms but get the virus, and in those cases, how transmittable is the virus between them.
"I think that is data we are still accumulating, and evidence we are still learning about, and of course it is one of the key questions when it comes to schools and how schools are opened again.
"I think the true answer is that the evidence is still emerging over the transmissibility of the virus in children who don't show symptoms."
- Peter Stubley
- 1 May 2020 17:50
29 minutes ago
Mr Hancock said that over the entire testing process, 1,023,824 tests had been carried out.
He described this as 'a new benchmark'.
- Peter Stubley
- 1 May 2020 17:47
38 minutes ago
The daily test figures of 122,347 include delivery of 27,497 home kits, professor Newton says.
Excluding them would mean that the government had not met its target.
However Prof Newton says there has been no change to the way tests are counted, as tests sent outside the main NHS programme have always been counted when the tests are delivered rather than when actually carried out.
The full breakdown is as follows:
39,753 at NHS labs (including 13,723 at Roche)
39,153 at drive through and mobile units
27,497 home kits delivered
12,872 test delivered 'through the satellite process'
3,072 antibody tests
