The daily death toll remains lower than previous weeks
(Picture: REUTERS)The UK recorded 3,402 new cases on Friday - the lowest level since mid-September.
According to official government figures, 52 people lost their lives within a 24-hour period taking the total number of lives lost from coronavirus to 126,816.
The total number of Covid cases in the UK since the beginning of the pandemic is now 4,353,668.
The last time daily infection figures were this low was on September 17, 2020 - when 3,395 Covid cases were recorded in the UK.
On Thursday there were 4,479 more cases of Covid and 51 deaths.
Figures for cases and deaths on Friday do not include numbers from Wales, which is not reporting its data on Good Friday or Easter Monday.
Government data also shows that of the 36,249,902 jabs given in the UK so far, 31,301,267 were first doses and 4,948,635 were second doses.
It comes as the coronavirus reproduction number, or R value, in England was reported as being between 0.8 and 1.
This is compared to a figure of between 0.7 and 0.9 for the whole of the UK last week.
Boris Johnson has warned against people meeting others from different households indoors over the Easter weekend.
The prime minister said vaccines do not guarantee “100 per cent protection” from coronavirus.
Groups of up to six, or two households, are now able to meet up in parks and gardens after the stay-at-home order ended in England on Monday, but socialising indoors remains banned until May 17.
During a Twitter question and answer session, Mr Johnson was asked if people could meet loved ones indoors if they are vaccinated.
He replied: “I’m afraid the answer is no, because we’re not yet at that stage.
“We’re still very much in a world where you can meet friends and family outdoors under the rule of six or two households.
“And even though your friends and family members may be vaccinated, the vaccines are not giving 100 per cent protection, and that’s why we just need to be cautious.
“We don’t think that they entirely reduce or remove the risk of transmission.”
