UK official death toll rises to 36,914 after 121 die

The UK’s official coronavirus death toll across all settings has risen to 36,914.

This includes an increase of 121 fatalities including in care homes since yesterday.

In total, 261,184 people have tested positive across the UK.

It comes after the UK saw the lowest number of coronavirus deaths in hospitals since lockdown began in March.

NHS England today recorded 59 more deaths in hospitals – but this does not take into account other settings like care homes.

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Across all settings, Scotland announced three more deaths, while Wales had seven and Northern Ireland had eight.

The preliminary daily tally of 77 was calculated by adding up the individual counts announced by each of the home nations.

It came as the prime minister’s senior advisor Dominic Cummings defended himself against claims he broke the lockdown rules.

Mr Cummings travelled to County Durham in March to self-isolate with his family – apparently because he feared that he and his wife would be left unable to care for their son – while official guidelines warned against long-distance journeys.

Further reports also suggested he took a second trip to the area in April, having already returned to London following his recovery from Covid-19.

Speaking in the Downing Street rose garden today, Mr Cummings said he drove to Durham after his wife became ill, fearing he would become unwell himself.

He said he did not stop the car on the way to Durham and went there to ensure there would be childcare for their four-year-old.

When they wanted to return back to London, he said that as he had been ill he wanted to go on a short drive to test whether he could drive safely.

They drove to the outskirts of Barnard Castle, stopped for his son to go to the toilet and then went on to London.

He said that he did not return to Durham after April 13 as some reports had claimed, and that data from his phone would prove this.

While in Durham he said he isolated in a separate cottage to his parents and only saw them from a distance.

Mr Cummings said ‘I do not regret what I did’ but added that ‘reasonable people may well disagree’.

He said ‘I have not offered to resign’, adding: ‘I have not considered it.’

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