Matt Hancock is expected to give the nation a televised live update on the latest Covid-19 coronavirus developments this evening.
The Health Secretary is set to host a press conference from Downing Street at 5pm, reports Mirror Online.
It comes amid growing concerns that the spread of the Indian covid variant will derail the Governments 'road map' out of lockdown and force the June 21 date for the ending of all restrictions to be pushed back.
David Greenhalgh, Conservative leader at Bolton Council, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning there was no sign yet that cases were coming under control, adding that “our cases are still rising”.
This morning, Professor Neil Ferguson - a member of the Government’s Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling Group - said that the June 21 date for lifting legal limits on social contact is “very much in the balance”.
However, he also said there was a "glimmer of hope" in that recent data suggested the infection curves were are "flattening a little".
But Prof Ferguson said it could be "two to three weeks" before scientists have enough data to know if the June 21 lockdown easing will be knocked off course.
There has also been confusion around travel and foreign holidays, after a health minister appeared to contradict official advice over travel following the relaxing of restrictions by saying all international trips were “dangerous” - and urged Brits to have staycations rather than foreign holidays this summer.
Similarly, the Welsh Government is advising people not to travel abroad during 2021.
Meanwhile, a leading scientist who advises the Government has said people should “ration” hugs while there is still uncertainty around the Indian variant.
Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) which advises the Government, told BBC Breakfast: “We’ve been able to relax controls but we still need to be a little bit cautious.
“For example with hugging, again great for people’s wellbeing, but I suspect what we really need to do is maybe ration that a little – I’m not going to stop my children from hugging their grandparents for example – but I think we need to be a little bit careful.”
