The UK will not have any dramatic lifting of coronavirus social restrictions, a minister has warned, after another 626 deaths were recorded in the UK, bringing the official toll to 31,241.
The country is “not out of the woods” and will live with the virus for some time to come, environment secretary George Eustice warned.
Downing Street has been accused of sending “mixed messages” on lockdown measures following reports Boris Johnson will ease restrictions on Sunday.
"We have to be realistic that there isn't going to be any dramatic overnight change," Mr Eustice said.
In Wales, the rule requiring people to only exercise once a day will be lifted from Monday, and Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford said restrictions on garden centres would be eased.
The government has announced a new £16m fund to support frontline food charities to help them buy and distribute food to those most in need.
Former chancellor Sajid Javid has urged the government to open up the economy “as far and as quick” as possible. It comes as NHS England revealed a six-week-old baby has died after contracting coronavirus.
Gender quarantine rules lifted in Colombian capital
The mayor of Bogota has announced that a restriction that required men and women to shop on different days during the lockdown will be lifted on Monday.
Claudia Lopez said a gradual return to work for construction and manufacturing sectors will make it difficult for police to enforce gender rules.
The measure, which had been in place for nearly a month, was criticised by LGBT groups and transgender people because it exposed them to discrimination and violence from people questioning their right to be out.
The mayor of Bogota has announced that a restriction that required men and women to shop on different days during the lockdown will be lifted on Monday.
Claudia Lopez said a gradual return to work for construction and manufacturing sectors will make it difficult for police to enforce gender rules.
The measure, which had been in place for nearly a month, was criticised by LGBT groups and transgender people because it exposed them to discrimination and violence from people questioning their right to be out.
Global Update
Mexico is due to announce proposals to lift its month-long lockdown next week, after reporting nearly 3,000 deaths and 30,000 cases of Covid-19. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters today he will receive a proposal from the Cabinet on Monday, adding: "We want to announce it to you and to the Mexican public on Wednesday or Thursday."
Switzerland has backed down from plans to require restaurants and bars to take the names and phone numbers of customers as a way to track coronavirus contacts. Privacy campaigners, restaurant owners and legal experts all raised objections - and the government has now said that the information is optional — but recommended.
Japan's government, facing criticism over its lack of testing, has relaxed its restriction on access to tests. Previously a patient had to have a fever of 37.5C or more for four consecutive days. The guidelines now urge people experiencing difficulty breathing or those with a fever to seek medical advice.
Mexico is due to announce proposals to lift its month-long lockdown next week, after reporting nearly 3,000 deaths and 30,000 cases of Covid-19. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters today he will receive a proposal from the Cabinet on Monday, adding: "We want to announce it to you and to the Mexican public on Wednesday or Thursday."
Switzerland has backed down from plans to require restaurants and bars to take the names and phone numbers of customers as a way to track coronavirus contacts. Privacy campaigners, restaurant owners and legal experts all raised objections - and the government has now said that the information is optional — but recommended.
Japan's government, facing criticism over its lack of testing, has relaxed its restriction on access to tests. Previously a patient had to have a fever of 37.5C or more for four consecutive days. The guidelines now urge people experiencing difficulty breathing or those with a fever to seek medical advice.
Deadline for UK-EU talks 'virtually impossible'
Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney told an online conference this afternoon that 'it makes sense' to seek more time to negotiate a trade deal between the UK and the EU.
"I think anybody looking at this from the outside could only conclude it makes sense to look for more time but I wouldn't be raising expectations to the British government agreeing to seek more time," he said.
"Covid-19 has made what is already a very, very difficult timeline to get agreement virtually impossible."
UK government keeps NHS app 'under review' amid rumours it could be scrapped
Unlike most other countries, the UK's contact-tracing app uses a centralised model, where information about its users is stored on one server, controlled by the NHS.
As a result it has been unable to make use of Apple and Google's technology, and so is limited by restrictions in the software that mean that users are forced to keep re-opening the app if it is to properly track them.
It has now been reported that officials are considering creating a new version of the app that uses the decentralised model.
Unlike most other countries, the UK's contact-tracing app uses a centralised model, where information about its users is stored on one server, controlled by the NHS.
As a result it has been unable to make use of Apple and Google's technology, and so is limited by restrictions in the software that mean that users are forced to keep re-opening the app if it is to properly track them.
It has now been reported that officials are considering creating a new version of the app that uses the decentralised model.
Government says it will 'keep all options under review' amid rumours about NHS coronavirus app
The IndependentUK's commitment to centralised technology has come under criticism for privacy and security problemsMember of US vice-president's staff tests positive for coronavirus
Two days after one of Donald Trump's valets tested positive for coronavirus, a member of Mike Pence's staff has also tested positive.
As a precaution six people who were scheduled to fly with Mr Pence to Iowa were removed from the aircraft before it departed.
"This morning we had someone on the vice president's staff test positive and so out of abundance of caution we went back and looked into all the person's contacts most recently," the official told reporters travelling with the US vice-president to Iowa.
The official said the staff member with coronavirus has not been in recent contact with either Donald Trump or Mike Pence.
More than 75,000 people in the US have died with coronavirus.
France update
The official death toll in France, which includes hospitals and nursing homes, has increased by 243 to 26,230, according to the health ministry.
There were falls in both the number of people in intensive care units (2,868, down from a peak of 7,148) and the number of people in hospital with coronavirus (22,724, down from a peak of 32,292).
France will start lifting its national lockdown from Monday.
The official death toll in France, which includes hospitals and nursing homes, has increased by 243 to 26,230, according to the health ministry.
There were falls in both the number of people in intensive care units (2,868, down from a peak of 7,148) and the number of people in hospital with coronavirus (22,724, down from a peak of 32,292).
France will start lifting its national lockdown from Monday.
Government considering relaxing restrictions on funerals
Environment secretary George Eustice would not say whether the government was going to change the restrictions on attendance at funerals next week - but said it was under consideration.
He told the Downing Street press conference: "It is funerals, I think, that are the hardest here, we have allowed funerals to continue for immediate family members but I appreciate that's not much hope for wider family who'd also like to attend.
"This is an area we will be looking at closely, obviously I can't prejudge what the Prime Minister might say on Sunday but I can reassure you, we are very conscious that this is an incredibly sensitive matter.
"People want the opportunity to pay their last respects, obviously we have to be very conscious of large social gatherings but it is something we are giving consideration to."
Environment secretary George Eustice would not say whether the government was going to change the restrictions on attendance at funerals next week - but said it was under consideration.
He told the Downing Street press conference: "It is funerals, I think, that are the hardest here, we have allowed funerals to continue for immediate family members but I appreciate that's not much hope for wider family who'd also like to attend.
"This is an area we will be looking at closely, obviously I can't prejudge what the Prime Minister might say on Sunday but I can reassure you, we are very conscious that this is an incredibly sensitive matter.
"People want the opportunity to pay their last respects, obviously we have to be very conscious of large social gatherings but it is something we are giving consideration to."
'Iranian hackers target coronavirus treatment firm'
Hackers linked to Iran have targeted staff at US drugmaker Gilead Sciences Inc in recent weeks, according to cybersecurity researchers.
In one case, a fake email login page designed to steal passwords was sent in April to a top Gilead executive involved in legal and corporate affairs, Reuters reported.
Ohad Zaidenberg, lead intelligence researcher at Israeli cybersecurity firm ClearSky, said the attempt was part of an effort by an Iranian group to compromise email accounts of staff at the company using messages that impersonated journalists.
Hackers linked to Iran have targeted staff at US drugmaker Gilead Sciences Inc in recent weeks, according to cybersecurity researchers.
In one case, a fake email login page designed to steal passwords was sent in April to a top Gilead executive involved in legal and corporate affairs, Reuters reported.
Ohad Zaidenberg, lead intelligence researcher at Israeli cybersecurity firm ClearSky, said the attempt was part of an effort by an Iranian group to compromise email accounts of staff at the company using messages that impersonated journalists.
NHS to publish mental health and learning disability deaths
The NHS will next week begin to publish the numbers of people who are dying from coronavirus in mental health and learning disability units, the government has announced.
England's national medical director Stephen Powis told a daily press briefing that the figures would be published on an "ongoing basis" after calls to paint a clearer picture of the problem.
It comes as figures from the Care Quality Commission showed a sharp increase in deaths compared to last year.
The NHS will next week begin to publish the numbers of people who are dying from coronavirus in mental health and learning disability units, the government has announced.
England's national medical director Stephen Powis told a daily press briefing that the figures would be published on an "ongoing basis" after calls to paint a clearer picture of the problem.
It comes as figures from the Care Quality Commission showed a sharp increase in deaths compared to last year.
Data on coronavirus deaths in mental health and learning disability units will now be published, NHS announces
The IndependentNHS England medical director pledges transparency on learning disabled and autism deaths from Covid-19Here are the slides from today's daily briefing. They continue to show a slow decrease in the numbers of deaths, patients in hospital and intensive care.
It's notable that the number of new cases has remained relatively constant at between 4,000 and 6,000 since last month, taking into account all testing by the NHS, private companies and universities.
It's notable that the number of new cases has remained relatively constant at between 4,000 and 6,000 since last month, taking into account all testing by the NHS, private companies and universities.
Of course, part of this may be due to the increase in the number of tests being carried out.
Out-of-date PPE 'will be retested before being given to frontline staff'
NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis was asked about reports that a large proportion of the national pandemic stockpile was out of date when the coronavirus outbreak began.
He said any items of PPE which have gone past their original date of expiry are retested to ensure they still meet the right standards.
NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis was asked about reports that a large proportion of the national pandemic stockpile was out of date when the coronavirus outbreak began.
He said any items of PPE which have gone past their original date of expiry are retested to ensure they still meet the right standards.
Mr Powis said the equipment would not be distributed to frontline workers unless they met the required standards.
R number 'between 0.5 and 0.9'
The government's five tests for easing the lockdown are based on keeping R - the average number of people an infected person will pass the disease to - below 1.
Mr Powis was asked whether R had to be low across all four regions of the UK before lockdown can be lifted.
He replied: "I can't give you the data by region, I think what has been said of the R is it is somewhere between 0.5 and 0.9.
"Undoubtedly it will vary from place to place, and it will vary over time from place to place.
"The important thing is that as a whole that it stays below one."
The government's five tests for easing the lockdown are based on keeping R - the average number of people an infected person will pass the disease to - below 1.
Mr Powis was asked whether R had to be low across all four regions of the UK before lockdown can be lifted.
He replied: "I can't give you the data by region, I think what has been said of the R is it is somewhere between 0.5 and 0.9.
"Undoubtedly it will vary from place to place, and it will vary over time from place to place.
"The important thing is that as a whole that it stays below one."
'Regional variances' blamed for testing difficulties
Asked why the UK had not tested at full capacity for six days in a row - amid reports of delays of up to 10 days in getting results back - Mr Eustice replied: "If you have 50 different sites offering drive-through tests you will get regional variances.
"You will get some days of surplus tests where people haven't come forward to take them in some areas, and you will have other areas where you don't have quite enough capacity for that local demand.
"The important thing is to have those ambitious targets you're working to, to just continually build the capacity. But you will of course get daily fluctuations in availability in any given local area."
He added: "We've got over 100,000 test capacity now, it's inevitable that there will in some regions perhaps not be sufficient numbers in some days, and there will be daily fluctuations, so it's possibly the case that they can't get an immediate test on that day, but they should be able to get one quickly because we do now have the capacity and today we've got the figures announced which shows we've tested 97,000 people, and that includes since we've been doing the testing tens of thousands of staff working in care homes and indeed residents as well."
The government has set a new target of 200,000 tests a day by the end of May.
Asked why the UK had not tested at full capacity for six days in a row - amid reports of delays of up to 10 days in getting results back - Mr Eustice replied: "If you have 50 different sites offering drive-through tests you will get regional variances.
"You will get some days of surplus tests where people haven't come forward to take them in some areas, and you will have other areas where you don't have quite enough capacity for that local demand.
"The important thing is to have those ambitious targets you're working to, to just continually build the capacity. But you will of course get daily fluctuations in availability in any given local area."
He added: "We've got over 100,000 test capacity now, it's inevitable that there will in some regions perhaps not be sufficient numbers in some days, and there will be daily fluctuations, so it's possibly the case that they can't get an immediate test on that day, but they should be able to get one quickly because we do now have the capacity and today we've got the figures announced which shows we've tested 97,000 people, and that includes since we've been doing the testing tens of thousands of staff working in care homes and indeed residents as well."
The government has set a new target of 200,000 tests a day by the end of May.
Mr Powis commits to publishing data on Covid-19 patients with learning disabilities, autism and mental health issues, in response to a further question from Shaun Lintern.
The Independent's Health correspondent Shaun Lintern asks about further outbreaks in care homes.
Mr Powis replies that the NHS is testing patients before they are discharged to care homes and that so far there appears to be no link between discharges from hospital and coronavirus outbreaks in care homes.
'We never said takeaways should close'
Asked if fast food outlets could have stayed open during the lockdown, Mr Eustice suggested that some restaurants such as McDonald's and KFC closed because people were staying at home.
He said: "While clearly restaurants and pubs had to close, we were quite keen to keep that capacity to be able to do takeaway food for people.
"I think it is quite possible for these venues to reopen and reopen safely, we never mandated that they should close.
"We have learned a lot from supermarkets and other food outlets about how you can do social distancing and do it well.
"I think some of those food-to-go businesses will probably be seeking to learn lessons from what supermarkets have done as they consider tentatively reopening."
Mr Eustice added that a McDonald's drive-thru was "made for social distancing".
Asked if fast food outlets could have stayed open during the lockdown, Mr Eustice suggested that some restaurants such as McDonald's and KFC closed because people were staying at home.
He said: "While clearly restaurants and pubs had to close, we were quite keen to keep that capacity to be able to do takeaway food for people.
"I think it is quite possible for these venues to reopen and reopen safely, we never mandated that they should close.
"We have learned a lot from supermarkets and other food outlets about how you can do social distancing and do it well.
"I think some of those food-to-go businesses will probably be seeking to learn lessons from what supermarkets have done as they consider tentatively reopening."
Mr Eustice added that a McDonald's drive-thru was "made for social distancing".
'No dramatic change' in lockdown
Environment secretary George Eustice says the prime minister is not going to announce any "dramatic overnight change" in the lockdown on Sunday.
"Our very clear message today is that even though it's going to be a sunny bank holiday it is absolutely essential that people abide by the current restrictions and don't succumb to the temptation to go out and about," he said.
"We will have to wait for what the prime minister will say on Sunday. He's going to set out, effectively, a roadmap of how we can evolve the current restrictions we have - this complete lockdown at the moment, to something where certain activities may be possible in the near term and other things might take much longer.
"We have to be realistic that there isn't going to be any dramatic overnight change. We will be very, very cautious as we loosen the restrictions we have."
Environment secretary George Eustice says the prime minister is not going to announce any "dramatic overnight change" in the lockdown on Sunday.
"Our very clear message today is that even though it's going to be a sunny bank holiday it is absolutely essential that people abide by the current restrictions and don't succumb to the temptation to go out and about," he said.
"We will have to wait for what the prime minister will say on Sunday. He's going to set out, effectively, a roadmap of how we can evolve the current restrictions we have - this complete lockdown at the moment, to something where certain activities may be possible in the near term and other things might take much longer.
"We have to be realistic that there isn't going to be any dramatic overnight change. We will be very, very cautious as we loosen the restrictions we have."
Mr Eustice dismisses the apparent differences in lockdown-easing strategy between the four nations. "Generally speaking we have taken similar approaches even though there have been slight differences," he says. "I don't think we need to get too worked up about timings of different announcements."
NHS England director Stephen Powis confirms the number of intensive care patients is still falling as he goes through the slides - one of which features the dreaded international comparison of deaths.
The UK has the second-highest death toll in the world, behind the US, and the highest in Europe.
Mr Powis urges caution in interpreting the government graph, adding: "It will only be excess mortality of all causes over time that will allow us to make the international comparison."
Mr Powis urges caution in interpreting the government graph, adding: "It will only be excess mortality of all causes over time that will allow us to make the international comparison."
Mr Eustice ends his opening statement by saying it is vital to stay at home over the bank holiday weekend despite the sunny weather.
