Coronavirus: UK death toll rises by 269 to reach 31,855

Number of infections jumps to more than 219,100

The UK death toll for coronavirus has risen to 31,855 after an increase of 269, the government has announced.

The total number of Covid-19 infections jumped to 219,183 on Sunday morning, according to health ministry figures.

This is an increase of more than 3,900 compared to the day before.

Announcing the new death toll, the government said 31,855 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of Saturday afternoon.

Around 92,800 tests for Covid-19 were carried out on Saturday, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

The new figures come as the official government advice changed to "stay alert, control the virus, save lives", dropping the previous stricter message that people should stay home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out.

It comes more than six weeks after the British prime minister imposed the UK lockdown on 23 March, telling people they could only go outside for "very limited" and essential purposes.

Leaders of all the devolved nations have rejected Boris Johnson's new "stay alert" advice in favour of keeping the "stay at home" message in the fight against Covid-19 amid criticism the slogan is unclear.

Seeking to clarify the new advice, a No 10 spokesman said the public can "stay alert" by staying at home "as much as possible", "limiting contact with other people" and keeping two metres apart where possible.

Mr Johnson is expected to address the country at 7pm tonight to outline a "road map" for how lockdown measures may be eased, including letting garden centres reopen and lifting the limit of only one form of outdoors exercise a day in England.

The PM also plans on encouraging workers who cannot do their jobs from home to begin returning to their workplaces while following social-distancing rules.

Additional reporting by Press Association