The number of new cases has fallen for the second day in a row, the Government’s chief scientific adviser has confirmed.

Sir Patrick Vallance said the number of new cases ‘could be moving in the right direction’ but it would not be clear ‘for a week or so’.

During a press briefing from Downing Street, he said: ‘It’s possible that we’re beginning to see the beginning of change in terms of the curve flattening a little bit.

‘We won’t know that for sure for a week or so.

‘There hasn’t been the accelerated take-off and again it’s possible that we’re beginning to see the start of a change where we might see numbers flattening off.

‘It does begin to suggest that things might be moving in the right direction in terms of numbers and it’s important that we carry on with the measures that we have got in place in order to make sure that this does go in the right direction.’

Earlier this afternoon, the Department of Health confirmed a total of 55,242 people have now tested positive for coronavirus. A week ago, on March 31, the total was 25,150.

Standing alongside Sir Patrick, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he was ‘confident’ the Prime Minister would pull through after being transferred to intensive care for coronavirus treatment.

He said: ‘I think it is worth remembering that, as will be the case for many people up and down the country who know someone at work who has fallen ill with coronavirus, it is a shock to all of us.

‘He is not just the Prime Minister. For all of us in Cabinet, he is not just our boss.

‘He is also a colleague and he is also our friend. So all our thoughts and prayers are with the Prime Minister at this time, with Carrie (Symonds) and his whole family.

‘And I’m confident he will pull through because if there is one thing that I know about this Prime Minister is he is a fighter and he will be back leading us through this crisis in short order.’

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