A further 148 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the UK death toll to 44,798.
The figure is more than double the 67 people whose deaths from Covid-19 were recorded last Saturday and more than triple the 48 people who were added to the tally yesterday.
A further 820 people have also tested positive for the coronavirus in the UK, bringing the total to 288,953 during the pandemic so far.
The UK daily coronavirus death toll has been on a slow general decline since its peak in the middle of April.
Today's increase compared to last Saturday's may be an outlier rather than a sign that the death toll is ramping up again.
Deaths recorded over the past week were slightly lower than the week before, despite lockdown restrictions having been eased over the weekend.
Whether that remains the case in a week's time - when the two week gestation period will have been reached since pubs and restaurants were opened - remains unclear.
The new death toll, released today by the Department of Health and Social Care, covers fatalities in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.
It is a different total than the 39 people who lost their lives in hospitals, as was reported this afternoon.
In a bid to keep the R number below one, facemasks will become compulsory in shops and confined spaces.
In an government announcement that is expected later this week, Boris Johnson will tell the Commons the move is necessary to encourage a swifter shift towards “more normal” living.
The aim is to prevent a surge in the spread of the coronavirus as Ministers encourage more people to return to work.
