UK Covid cases drop 60% in a month as 2,206 more people test positive and 35 die

UK COVID cases have dropped by 60 per cent in a month as 2,206 more people tested positive for the virus and another 35 died. 

Compared to March 17, when 5,758 cases were recorded, the number of positive tests recorded daily have dropped by almost two thirds. 

 Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest updates

LNP

Brits flocked to a pub in Manchester as lockdown restrictions eased[/caption]

There have been a total of 4,385,938 recorded cases of the virus in the UK and 127,225  deaths from Covid since the pandemic began. 

The number of cases is 14 per cent lower than last Saturday, when there were 2,584 cases and 40 deaths. 

---

It comes as: 

• A sombre Queen sat alone on the “saddest and most difficult day” as she bid farewell to husband prince Philip
• Brits hit the pubs for an alfresco booze-up on the first Saturday since restrictions eased
• Fears mounted over South Africa variant as cases double in a month
• The global death toll from coronavirus topped 3 million 
• Experts warned new Indian strain of virus could be resistant to vaccines 

---

The new figures show more than 32,693,527 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccine. 

A total of 9,416,968 Brits have received their second jab in the UK, taking all vaccines administered in the UK to 42,110,495. 

The news as Brits hit boozers on the first weekend after pubs, shops, hairdressers and gyms reopened this week. 

Since pubs re-opened on Monday, April 12, some pubs with big outdoor areas have reported trade ten times higher than before Covid. 

And last night, Brits danced in the streets as scuffles broke out at some reopened beer gardens.

Millions have flocked to newly-reopened bars after lockdown restrictions were eased in England this week.

LNP

Police were out in force in Soho, London, to ensure social distancing remained in place[/caption]

John Gladwin

A group of pals celebrated lockdown easing in Manchester docks[/caption]

Rex

Brits settled in to deck chairs at a pub in Wimbledon, London[/caption]

LNP

Regent Street in London was full of shoppers as the high street reopened[/caption]

Around 1.5million pub punters are set to make up for lost time on the first Saturday session for all areas of England since October.

But concerns still remain about new strains of the virus which threaten to derail lockdown easings in Britain. 

A “concerning” new Indian strain of the virus has been detected in 77 cases in the UK so far, Public Health England revealed.

Experts say the variant has two mutations that could help it escape antibodies.

And cases of the South African variant in the UK have doubled in a month.

There are now 600 known infections, a rise on from 300 last month, according to Public Health England data.

Surge testing has been ramped up throughout England with more cases of the South African variant emerging.

London has seen a rise in cases, with tests deployed in Southwark as well as Wandsworth and Lambeth.

The government said the testing in South London is the “largest surge testing operation to date” aimed at suppressing any possible new cases of the variant.

Ahead of this weekend’s easings, Boris Johnson warned Brits to “behave responsibly”.

The PM had planned to have a celebratory pint to mark the measures easing, but it postponed following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.