LONDON 27 Apr (ANA) - The UK's coronavirus death toll increased by 413 today - the lowest recorded this month - as NHS bosses said social distancing is 'paying off' but warned breaking the rules now could result in a second peak of the deadly disease. 

 

Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England, said the latest government statistics showed there had been a 'slight uptick' in the number of people using their cars and going outside in recent days. 

 

He told the daily Downing Street coronavirus press conference that the nation needed to 'remind ourselves that this has been a really tough four weeks and we don't want to lose the benefits' which have resulted from people staying at home.  

Mr Powis said nobody could be 'absolutely confident' that the UK is now firmly on a downward trajectory as he urged Britons to continue to adhere to draconian lockdown measures. 

 

The 413 new fatalities represents a significant drop on yesterday's UK figures - and are also lower than previous Sundays, which typically see a lower toll than weekdays. 

 

But the government is still swatting away calls to publish a road map out of lockdown, with Dominic Raab this morning admonishing both Labour and Tory figures demanding an exit strategy. 

 

Environment Secretary George Eustice remained equally tight-lipped at this afternoon's briefing, where he confirmed the number of deaths have now hit 20,732. 

 

The cabinet minister also said cases have risen by 4,463 to 153,840 after 29,058 tests were performed yesterday - a figure which will set alarm bells ringing in Whitehall after Matt Hancock vowed to hit 100,000 tests by the end of April.(ANA)

FA/ANA/27 April 2020----