Coronavirus UK map: How many confirmed cases are there in your area?
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Reuters
There have been more than 270,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and over 38,000 people have lost their lives, government figures show.
However, these numbers only include people who have been tested, and the total number of deaths relating to coronavirus is thought to be higher.
Latest measures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest higher figures.
The first, counting death certificates mentioning the virus, suggests deaths reached 45,000 by the week beginning 15 May, while the second, recording deaths over and above the expected number, suggests a toll of more than 59,000 by the same date.
Some of these deaths are likely to include people with undiagnosed coronavirus or those who died as an indirect result of the pandemic.
Coronavirus accounted for just over 25% of all deaths in the UK in the week to 15 May, according to death registration data.
In the week to 17 April, when deaths from the virus reached their peak, this figure was just under 40%.
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UK daily deaths continue to fall
The new coronavirus, which causes the disease Covid-19, was first confirmed in the UK at the end of January, but the number of daily confirmed cases and related deaths only began to increase significantly by the second half of March.
The UK has the highest official death toll in Europe and the second highest in the world. However, the government and many experts say it is too soon to make international comparisons.
The government announced a further 215 deaths on Saturday, taking the official death toll in the UK to 38,376.
Death registrations mentioning Covid-19 fell in every setting in the week to 15 May, according to ONS figures.
The total number of death registrations rose by 10% - however, BBC head of statistics Robert Cuffe suggests this is due to the Friday bank holiday on 8 May pushing recorded deaths into the following week.
The majority of the UK's deaths have been in England, with more than 34,000 so far - about 90% of the total for the UK.
In Scotland, the official government figure for deaths is 2,353, but data on death registrations from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) suggests it is at least 3,800.
In Wales, the death toll stands at 1,331 while there have been 522 deaths in Northern Ireland.
Most recorded coronavirus deaths have been among the elderly, with NHS England figures showing more than half of deaths have been among people aged over 80.
A quarter of all coronavirus related deaths have been among care home residents, according to the ONS, but the latest data suggests that has now stabilised.
Data collated by the ONS has also suggested people living in more deprived areas of England and Wales are more likely to die with coronavirus than those in more affluent places.
It also found that black men and women were nearly twice as likely to die as white people, with the risk persisting after taking into account age, where people live and some measures of deprivation and prior health.
However, other preliminary research released by the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said that ethnic-minorities in the UK are no more likely to die of coronavirus than white people when the effects of other illnesses and deprivation are taken into account.
What is the R number in the UK?
The latest infection rate, or "R number", for the UK as a whole sits between 0.7 and 0.9, according to the Sage group of advisors.
This number, the average number of people an infected person will pass the disease on to, has remained steady for two weeks.
If R is below one then the number of people contracting the disease will fall; if it is above one, the number will grow.
The government has said that the R number is one of the most important factors in deciding when lockdown measures can be eased.
Public Health England estimates the number in England to be 0.72-0.77.
In Scotland and Wales, the estimate is between 0.7 and 1.0, and in Northern Ireland it is between 0.8 and 0.9.
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New cases continuing downward trend
Overall, the number of new confirmed cases has been falling since a peak in April, despite an increase in the number of tests being carried out. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van Tam said there had been a slight increase in daily cases over the past few days, but the seven-day rolling average still showed a clear downward trend.
A further 2,445 cases were announced on Saturday.
Cases were originally concentrated in London, the Midlands and the North West, but Wales and parts of the North East have also had a high proportions of cases.
Going forward, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has raised the possibility that there could be "local lockdowns" to control the spread of the virus.
Hospitals seeing fewer coronavirus patients
The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has been gradually declining since a peak over Easter.
On Saturday, the government said the number of people in hospital with coronavirus had fallen to 7,945 - a drop from 9,383 the same time last week.
However, the picture is different across the UK's nations and regions, with numbers falling faster in some areas than others.
Testing now available to more people
At least two million people have been tested for coronavirus in the UK.
But the government has been unable to provide an updated figure for that in the last few days, citing "technical difficulties" with data collection.
There were 127,722 tests in the 24 hours to 09:00 on Saturday, meeting the government's 100,000-a-day target for the fifth day in a row.
However, that number includes test kits sent to individuals or to testing locations but not yet returned or analysed.
In England and Wales, children and adults of all ages displaying symptoms can now have a test to determine whether they currently have the virus. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, you can only get a test for your child if they are aged five or over.
All residents and staff in care homes in England, and patients and staff in the NHS can book tests regardless of whether they have symptoms.
The prime minister has set a target for a daily capacity of 200,000 by the end of May.
Increased testing is essential for the government's "test and trace" strategy, which launched in England and Scotland this week.
Northern Ireland has its own approach up and running and Wales' system is due to start in early June.
