UK deaths top 20,000; PM set for work return

Global fatalities exceed 200,000 — cases near 3 million

The UK coronavirus death toll has reached 20,319, after 813 new deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. Worldwide fatalities have surpassed 200,000, and there are more than 2.8 million cases, suggesting the UK's deaths make up about 10 per cent of the global tally.

British Home Secretary Priti Patel said “we are not out of danger yet”, as she stressed the public must continue to follow social distancing rules and not leave home unnecessarily.

During the Government's daily press briefing, Patel praised the “spirit of national unity” during the coronavirus outbreak, urging the public to “not lose sight” of the fact their efforts are saving lives.

It came as the Government's registration website for coronavirus tests was overwhelmed for the second day in a row, with home tests snapped up in less than 15 minutes.

More than 10 million key workers and their households are now eligible for Covid-19 tests as officials race to hit their 100,000-a-day testing target by Thursday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told aides he is “raring to go” ahead of his return to Downing Street tomorrow, as he cited Cicero to insist that the health of the nation should be “supreme” when considering any changes to the lockdown.

Government sources said the Prime Minister was now “back in the driving seat”, having been given the green light by doctors to resume work.

This week, Johnson is expected to make key decisions on lifting some restrictions imposed as part of the nationwide lockdown last month.

In a three-hour weekend summit with Dominic Raab and Rishi Sunak at Chequers, where he has been recovering from coronavirus, Johnson stressed his biggest concern was the danger of a “second peak”. That could lead to another lockdown to slow down the transmission of the disease, he warned.

The Government is facing growing pressure to set out a plan to ease the lockdown measures, as Tory MPs warn many firms fear for their future.

With Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, joining via video conference, the Prime Minister quoted Cicero, the Roman statesman, saying Salus populi suprema lex esto – or, the health, or welfare, of the people should be the supreme law.

The remark echoes earlier comments first reported by the Daily Telegraph last week, in which Johnson insisted the Government must focus on avoiding a second wave of the virus, as it prepares society for a “new normal”.

The Chequers summit was also attended by Dominic Cummings, his chief aide, and Lee Cain, his director of communications.

Last week, Johnson hosted a daily video call with Foreign Secretary Raab, who has been deputising with him. He also held talks with Sir Patrick and Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer.

A No10 insider said: “The PM has been doing all the right things and following his doctor's advice to come back to work.”