Coronavirus UK Latest from Downing Street as Health Secretary says Testing Target Will Be Reached This Week

UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has said that the target of 100,000 weekly coronavirus tests will be reached this week.

Speaking at the Tuesday (April 28) Downing Street briefing, Mr Hancock stated that his self-imposed target would be hit on Thursday.

“Testing is increasing across the board,” he added.

He said that 21,678 people had died in UK hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus as of 5.00pm on Monday, some 586 more than the day before.

Mr Hancock stated that 4,343 deaths in care homes have been recorded since Easter.

“Deaths in care homes have accounted for a sixth of the total death toll, but they are in line with yearly averages.”

He added that the daily Covid-19 figures will now in future include statistics from care homes as of tomorrow (Wednesday).

Hancock mentioned that the UK government wanted to be as transparent as possible and to save as many lives as possible.

He also announced that all residents and care home staff will soon be tested, whether they have coronavirus symptoms or not.

On the future of the lockdown, the Health Secretary insisted that the social distancing rules in force will not be relaxed any time soon, saying the risk of a second peak of infections is “very real but we as a nation have kept it at bay.”