UK coronavirus death toll rises by 36 - the smallest daily increase since lockdown began

A further 36 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, the smallest daily increase since the day before lockdown was introduced on March 23.

While Covid-19 deaths and cases are declining, there is often a lag in the figures reported at weekends, meaning they do not always offer a full picture of deaths in the period they are from.

The increase in deaths - which were recorded in the 24-hours to 5pm on Saturday - took place in hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

The increase of 36 brings the UK's total death toll to 41,698, according to figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The government figures do not include all deaths involving Covid-19 across the UK, which is thought to have passed 52,000.

Of the new deaths, 27 took place in English hospitals, taking the total number of confirmed deaths in hospitals in England to 27,954.

Public Health Wales said a further three people had died after testing positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of deaths to 1,444, while the total number of cases increased by 39 to 14,742.

The DHSC also said in the 24-hour period up to 9am on Sunday, 144,865 tests were carried out or dispatched, with 1,514 positive results.

Overall, a total of 6,772,602 tests have been carried out and 295,889 cases have been confirmed positive.

The figure for the number of people tested has been "temporarily paused to ensure consistent reporting" across all methods of testing and has been for weeks, amid criticism the figures do not represent the number of people tested since one person can be tested multiple times.

A total of 2,447 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, up by five from 2,442 on Friday, the Scottish Government has announced.

New statistics show that 15,730 people have tested positive for the virus north of the border, up by 21 from 15,709 the previous day.

There are 983 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a rise of 69 in 24 hours.

Of these patients, 20 were in intensive care, down by one from the previous day.

Two further coronavirus-linked deaths have been reported in Northern Ireland, taking the total recorded by the Department of Health to 541.

There were three new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total to 4,841 since the pandemic began.

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