Boris Johnson admitted that ‘things could have gone either way’ after he was discharged from hospital to continue his recovery from coronavirus at Chequers.
The prime minister personally thanked doctors and nurses at St Thomas’ in central London with a video message describing the NHS as the “nation’s greatest asset”.
Meanwhile, as the UK death toll passed 10,000, health secretary Matt Hancock declined to apologise to nurses forced to choose between treating between treating patients or protecting themselves due to shortages of vital protective kit.
It came as people in the UK were urged to avoid visiting beaches and parks as the warm and sunny weather continues over the Easter weekend. Photos taken on Saturday showed only small numbers of people visiting what typically popular destinations across England.
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Public urged to avoid beaches and parks
People have been urged to avoid beaches and parks over the hot and sunny Easter weekend.
Photographs taken yesterday showed only small numbers of people visiting what are normally popular destinations across England as temperatures peaked at 25.5C.
And it is hoped the the public will continue to abide by the social distancing measures and stay at home on Easter Sunday in order to help slow the spread of coronavirus.
The Met Office said temperatures could reach more than 24C today.
Speaking at the daily press conference about the importance of keeping to the lockdown rules on Friday, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said: "This Easter will be another test of the nation's resolve. It's a time of year when people normally come together.
"But however warm the weather, however tempting your local beach or park, we need everyone to stay at home."
UK government pledges £200m to World Health Organisation and charities
The British government has pledged £200m to the World Health Organisation and charities to slow the spread of coronavirus in vulnerable countries and prevent a second wave of infections.
Britain's aid minister, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said assisting the poorest nations now would help prevent the virus returning to the UK.
"While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, weâre deploying British expertise and funding around the world to prevent a second deadly wave reaching the UK," Ms Trevelyan said in a statement.
"Coronavirus does not respect country borders so our ability to protect the British public will only be effective if we strengthen the healthcare systems of vulnerable developing countries too."
The government said £130m would go to United Nations' agencies, with £65m for the WHO. Another £50m would go to the Red Cross to help war-torn and hard to reach areas, and £20m would go to other organisations and charities.
"The United Kingdomâs generous contribution is a strong statement that this is a global threat that demands a global response," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO's director general, said.
"We are all in this together, which means protecting health around the world will help to protect the health of people in the UK."
Update on Boris Johnson's health
Boris Johnson has thanked NHS staff for saving his life while he was treated for coronavirus in intensive care.
The prime minister issued a short statement as he continues his recovery at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London.
“I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “I owe them my life.”
Peter Stubley has more:
Boris Johnson says he ‘owes his life’ to NHS staff after coronavirus treatment
‘I can’t thank them enough,’ adds prime ministerThe business secretary, Alok Sharma, refused to say whether it was right for the government to allow the Cheltenham horse racing festival to go ahead when the daily coronavirus-related death rate in Italy had reached 200 people.
Speaking to Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, he said: "We have followed the scientific and medical advice and we continue to do that.
"The Scientific Advisory Group (Sage) which advises the government is meeting next week and they will look at the evidence that is in place and, of course, we need to wait until we are past the peak and, as the chief medical officer has said, we don't know when that will be."
Asked whether he thought the expert advice had been wrong not to call for a lockdown earlier, Mr Sharma said: "As the situation has evolved, obviously we have looked to see what the advice is and we have acted on it.
"I am not a scientific and medical expert and that's why we have advisers to give us that advice, that is why we have Sage, and that is why we follow what it is they are telling us to do."
Tips from South Korea on how Britain could better combat outbreak
South Korea's ambassador to the UK has offered some suggestions on how the UK could better cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
Although South Korea was one of the first countries to report a significant outbreak, a relatively small number of people have died there compared to elsewhere.
"Our strategy was test, trace and treat," Enna Park told Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme. "And it has worked so far."
She said South Korea had conducted more than half a million tests, making it the country to have conducted the most testing in the world.
By using credit card transaction history, CCTV footage and mobile phone GPS data, the government has been able to trace all suspected cases and their contacts.
Labour will support government measures to battle virus, Keir Starmer says
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he would support measures to help stop the number of coronavirus-linked deaths from rising.
He told Sophy Ridge On Sunday on Sky News: "Whatever measures are necessary now for the government to take - whether that's increasing capacity in the NHS, or whether that's lockdown - to get those figures down, we will support it."
Sir Keir said questions would be asked in time about the response but the "most important thing is we do have that unity of purpose" to decrease the death rate, adding: "We will support the government in that.
"We will ask challenging questions, difficult questions about where we go next, about what's happened in the past but I think the whole nation desperately wants those figures go down.
"Every day we see the figures, we shudder at the thought of the families affected by it."
Sir Keir criticises 'mismatch' between government and NHS on availability of personal protective equipment
Sir Keir said there is a "mismatch" in what health secretary, Matt Hancock, and frontline NHS staff are saying about the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE).
He said: "This is a difficult exercise, I understand the government is trying to rise to the challenge here but there's a mismatch and that's the sort of thing that Parliament needs to pursue through individual MPs putting the points to ministers."
Sir Keir, asked if nurses should follow Royal College of Nursing guidance and effectively refuse to treat coronavirus patients if they do not have the right protective equipment and clothing, replied: "They're in a position to give guidance to those in their association and they should give that guidance."
Sir Keir also said the government must outline its exit strategy for the next 12 months and insisted Parliament must be recalled "as soon as possible".
Government should acknowledge PPE ambitions have not been matched, Sir Keir says
Sir Keir said it would be "smart" of the government to acknowledge their PPE ambitions have not been matched, adding: "And probably just to apologise for that and get on with it."
Told there could be austerity in future to pay off spending connected to the coronavirus crisis, Sir Keir warned such a policy had caused "great harm" since 2010.
He added: "What we can't have is another decade of austerity on top of this decade of austerity - just look what it's done to the health service, public services, social care, all of these areas that are now so being relied on have been cut for 10 years."
On what Labour's approach would be, Sir Keir went on: "We may well have to raise taxes, of course, but you're asking me a question that nobody can realistically answer because we don't yet know what the damage to the economy is going to be."
Sir Keir said "pretending" he could answer what would be needed in 2024 is "not something I'm going to do", noting: "But it is clear we're going to have to take a different approach.
"Lots of people who are key workers today... have been under-paid and under-valued for years. That cannot go on. There's got to be a fundamental difference going forward."
Parliament to return later this month
Parliament will return on 21 April, a date agreed by MPs before the Easter recess, despite demands for an emergency recall.
A spokesman for Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "Parliament will return on April 21 to fulfil its essential constitutional functions of conducting scrutiny, authorising spending and making laws.
"In these unprecedented times, technological solutions have already been implemented for select committees and options are being prepared for the Speaker, the government and other parties to consider next week.
"It is important that we have a comprehensive solution that does not inadvertently exclude any members.
"The Leader of the House of Commons will respond to the Leader of the Opposition's letter in the usual way."
Sadiq Khan encourages 'hope' over Easter weekend
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has encouraged Christians to "have hope" over the Easter weekend despite not being able to celebrate with loved ones due to the UK lockdown.
"In these tough times, I believe we can draw strength from the Easter story of Jesus's resurrection and from the selfless examples that he set, he said in a video posted to Twitter.
"Easter is not a time to despair but a time to have hope and I've been inspired by how our Christian community has responded to this crisis, donating to foodbanks, supporting the most vulnerable and checking up on older Londoners."
Matt Hancock thanks public for abiding by social distancing over Easter
Matt Hancock has thanked those using the option to contact their family via phone call or video conference and abiding by social distancing guidance over Easter.
"In doing so you're protecting the NHS and you're helping this country to get through this crisis," the health secretary said in a video posted on Twitter.
"And of course I want to thank everyone else who's also at work today. There's so many people on the NHS front line, in other critical services, who are working so hard for the country."
UK could end up with worst death rate in Europe
Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said it was possible the UK could end up with the worst coronavirus death rate in Europe.
"Numbers in the UK have continued to go up," Sir Jeremy told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.
"And yes, the UK is likely to be certainly one of the worst, if not the worst affected country in Europe."
He said continuing testing in the community would "buy you time" to deal with the crisis, giving an additional six to eight weeks to ensure health systems were up to capacity.
"Undoubtedly there are lessons to learn from that," Sir Jeremy said.
UK could be worst hit country by coronavirus in Europe, government medical adviser says
Sage member says there are ‘lessons to learn’ from Germany’s ‘remarkable’ testing approach'Everything will depend' on whether government's measures work to protect businesses, former Bank of England governor says
Lord King of Lothbury, former governor of the Bank of England, said "everything will depend" on whether the government's measures "work as intended" to help protect businesses.
Asked how long realistically the lockdown should last, he told Sophy Ridge On Sunday on Sky News: "I don't think it's possible to put a simple time frame on it but I think the government has a very difficult judgment to make in balancing these considerations."
He said science "does not tell us what we must do" but informs the judgment, adding: "I think given that a vaccine is a long way away, an exit strategy is going to be a process of trial and error."
Lord King said it makes sense to adopt measures which "reflect the need to keep some element" of social distancing, potentially a "large element", while recognising social distancing "is not the same thing as a total lockdown".
He explained: "If we can allow schools, young people, some businesses to start up, while maintaining social distancing then I think we achieve our objectives, but it's bound to be a process of trial and error."
Archbishop of Canterbury delivers digital Easter Sunday service
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, delivered his first digital Easter Sunday service from his kitchen in London.
"Welcome to the kitchen of our home on Easter Day," he said.
"At this very difficult time in the life of the nation and of the world, our prayers today are especially with those who are suffering, with those who care for them, and for all who mourn."
The service was pre-recorded on the Archbishop's iPad, with him wearing full robes and having set up a makeshift altar on his dining table
He was joined "virtually" by bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkins and a 10-year-old parishioner named Theo from the diocese of Canterbury.
During his service, Archbishop Welby reminded his virtual congregation that "we are not alone" during the crisis and offered prayers to Boris Johnson and all those affected by Covid-19.
"Who does not feel the shock of the last few weeks?" he asked. "So many have suffered from the virus, been in hospital or mourn someone who is gone.
"We were all probably shocked as the prime minister went into intensive care and we wish him, and all those who are ill, well and we pray for them and their families.
"So many people right across the country are anxious about employment, anxious about food, isolated from loved ones and feel that the future looks dark.
"People right across the globe feel the same uncertainty, fear, despair and isolation. We are not alone."
Spain coronavirus daily death toll rises again by 619 to total of nearly 17,000
The coronavirus death toll in Spain has risen again by 619 overnight to 16,972, the health ministry has saidBAME communities could be at greater risk
Sir Jeremy Farrar said there was evidence that black and other ethnic communities were more at risk from Covid-19.
He told the BBC: "There is some evidence growing both in the United States and here in Europe that people from BAME backgrounds are more at risk.
"What is critical to work out is whether that is something specific to that background or is it related to other risk factors we know about - age, other illness people have: diabetes, people who are obese have been more affected, people with high blood pressure, people with heart disease, lung disease."
The medical expert said there had also been "almost 100 reports" of cases in South Korea where people had seemingly re-contracted coronavirus, casting fresh doubt over how long post-infection immunity was thought to last.
"It is critical to understand whether that is one viral infection that has persisted in an individual for a considerable time and has now reactivated or whether they have been infected with a second virus," said Sir Jeremy.
"Either way, it suggests that immunity perhaps in some people is not complete and that has major ramifications for the ability to make a vaccine and for the community to be protected against future waves."
How expectant parents are coping with the coronavirus crisis
Increased anxiety, reduced midwife appointments, hospitals at breaking point and fears of a rise in miscarriages - Colin Drury reports on how the joys of a coming arrival have been turned upside down by Covid-19.
Pregnant in a pandemic: How expectant parents are coping with the coronavirus crisis
Increased anxiety, reduced midwife appointments, hospitals at breaking point and fears of a rise in miscarriages - how the joys of a coming arrival have been turned upside down by Covid-19Man charged with 'coughing on police officer'
A 37-year-old Nottingham man has been charged after allegedly coughing on a police officer following his arrest in the Bulwell area early on Saturday.
Nottinghamshire Police said Stuart Hunter, 37, of Chisholm Way, will appear in court on Monday charged with actual bodily harm and common assault related to a domestic incident, and assault on an emergency worker.
Asked whether he agreed with analysis that the UK could have the worst coronavirus death rate in Europe, the business secretary, Alok Sharma, said countries were on "different trajectories".
Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, he said: "Different countries are at different stages of this cycle.
"We are at different trajectories. What we have done with the advice that we have now set out to people, to stay at home, is precisely because we want to make sure that we have a flattening of the curve, that infection rates aren't going up, and ultimately people's lives are being saved.
"We are starting to see these measures work but they will stay in place until we have advice from Sage (the government's scientific advisers) in terms of the evidence that is out there."
Mr Sharma said the curve of infections was flattening but that ministers still "need to wait" before releasing social distancing measures.
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