UK suffers 209 new Covid-19 fatalities but rate of new deaths drops

The death toll from Covid-19 in the UK climbed to 1,228 on Sunday as 209 more people fell victim to the disease. However, the increase was notably lower than Saturday’s spike when 260 people succumbed to the virus.

British health authorities said on Sunday that 19,522 people have now tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK. That represents a 14 percent increase on Saturday’s figure, when there was 17,089 confirmed carriers of the illness.

Following Saturday’s record rise, the drop in the rate of fresh fatalities may offer hope that the rise in deaths may level off soon. Officials say that Sunday's figure is accurate up until 5pm on Saturday.

Britain introduced restrictions on citizens in a bid to clamp down on the virus and senior minister Michael Gove said on Sunday that Britons should be prepared for a lengthy spell in lockdown.

"Everyone I think does have to prepare for a significant period when these measures are still in place," Gove told the BBC.

Speaking on Saturday, Stephen Powis, the national medical director of the National Health Service (NHS), said that the UK will have done well if it comes through the coronavirus outbreak with fewer than 20,000 deaths.

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