UK death toll from confirmed coronavirus cases rises to 35,704

The death toll in the United Kingdom from confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose to 35,704, an increase of 363 on the day, culture minister Oliver Dowden said at a daily briefing on Wednesday.

NHS England national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said the number of coronavirus patients in hospital had fallen below 10,000 for the first time since March.

He told the daily Downing Street press conference: "I would highlight that the number of people in hospital is now below 10,000.

"I think that's the first time since March that we've seen a fall that has come down below 10,000 in terms of the people who are actively in hospital who test positive for Covid-19."

Prof Powis also said there had been a "slow increase" in vehicle movements, which he said was probably due to people returning to work, but that public transport usage remained low.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said he wanted schools in England to return at the same time, just hours after his Cabinet colleague Robert Buckland said there may not be a "uniform approach".

Mr Dowden told the Downing Street press conference: "It is best, and the Government has said this repeatedly, that we move as a whole nation, and that would include of course the whole of England in doing so."

But there could be different measures in "micro-hotspots" where there was an outbreak of new coronavirus cases.

The Government will not proceed with the reopening of schools unless "we can be sure of children's safety", Mr Dowden said.

He told the press conference: "We won't proceed unless we can be sure of children's safety – of course that goes without saying."

Mr Dowden said Sage advice is published "routinely" and that it would "continue to be the case".

Mr Dowden also said holidays within the UK could return as early as the beginning of July.

He told the Downing Street briefing: "I would love to get the tourism sector up as quickly as we possibly can. We've set this very ambitious plan to try and get it up and running by the beginning of July.

"Clearly, we can only do it if it's safe to do so because I think the worse thing for our tourism sector would be to start, then see the R rate rise out of control, see a second peak that overwhelms the NHS that we then have to slam on the brakes again.

"But, believe me, when we get to the point when we can have British tourism back, perhaps apart from the Prime Minister you won't get a bigger champion of the great British break than me."

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