UK coronavirus death toll rises by 202 to 41,481

Latest figures come days after scientist warned death toll could have been halved if lockdown implemented sooner

The UK’s Covid-19 death toll has risen by 202 over 24 hours, the government announced on Friday.

It brings the total number of fatalities to 41,481 across all settings, including hospitals, care homes and in the community.

According to department of health data, the cumulative number of tests stands at 6,434,713 – but the figures for the number of people who have been tested are not available.

It comes just days after a leading scientist who advised the government on how to implement lockdown warned that deaths from the pandemic could have been halved if restrictions were introduced sooner.

Neil Ferguson, professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College London, told the Science and Technology Committee thousands of lives could have been saved by with earlier action.

He said: “The epidemic was doubling every three to four days before lockdown interventions were introduced.

“So, had we introduced lockdown measures a week earlier, we would have reduced the final death toll by at least a half.”

Boris Johnson earlier today hinted that he may reduce the 2-metre social distancing guidelines.

The government is coming under increasing pressure to review the measure, with some calling for social contact to be at 1.5 or 1 metre apart.

Industry leaders say this will allow pubs and restaurants to open more effectively.

Academy leaders have also suggested that the 2-metre distance may need to be cut if all schools are to reopen in time for September.

Mr Patel, who also sits on the board of the education watchdog Ofsted, told the BBC that if the ambition is “genuinely for all schools to reopen in September, open and honest discussions are needed” about what “workable solutions” could be achieved.

MPs, including the Conservative member for Harlow, Robert Halfon, have warned that children face an “ice age” of lost learning if schools can not open by September.