Covid-19 alert level in UK
England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have announced zero coronavirus deaths on Monday.
It comes as the UK’s coronavirus alert level is lowered from four to three on the advice of experts.
Alert level three means that although the virus is still in general circulation, transmission is no longer high or rising exponentially.
Boris Johnson is due to confirm England’s pubs can serve indoors in the latest easing of lockdown next week.
While zero deaths were announced in three UK nations, four deaths were reported in Wales.
It is still likely that there were deaths since Sunday and these could be accounted for in a rise over the coming days. Reported data is often lower at weekends, and in the days immediately after, due to processing delays.
Meanwhile, the prime minister could announce guidance that it is safe to hug friends and family.
Johnson is expected to confirm England will move to the next stage of the government’s road map for lifting England’s lockdown at the 17:00 BST news conference.
He will be joined at the briefing by England’s chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty and the UK government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
The decision on the alert level was due to the efforts of the public in bringing Covid rates down, said a statement from the chief medical officers for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, along with NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis.
