Four more people have died from Covid and 1,926 caught the virus in the past 24 hours, official figures show.

The low number of new infections will be seen as a positive amid fears of the Indian variant sparking a third wave, and with further restrictions in England due to be relaxed on Monday.

It is also one of the lowest death tolls this year. The figure brings the total number of people in the UK who have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test to 127,679.

Some 4,450,777 people have now tested positive for Covid since the pandemic began.

A new stage in the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown will be reached on Monday, allowing people to eat and drink inside pubs and restaurants for the first time in five months.

Groups of six people, or two separate households, will be allowed to get together, paving the way for bars, cafes and other venues which only have indoor space to finally reopen.

Similar rules apply in Wales and Scotland – except in Glasgow and Moray where there are concerns of the Indian variant causing a spike in cases. Indoor dining is set to resume in Northern Ireland a week later, from May 24.

A landmark was reached today as more than 20 million people in the UK have had now both doses of a Covid vaccine.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said there is a ‘degree of confidence’ that the jabs will be effective against the Indian variant. He stressed that the data, from Oxford University, is ‘very early’.

The Government is now believed to be ramping up the vaccine rollout, with people aged 38 and 39 can able to sign up for their jabs. Over 35s are expected to be invited ‘within days’, the Health Secretary also said today.

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