We have coronavirus on the run, says Britain

British politicians believe the country is winning the battle against the novel coronavirus after 36 people died on Saturday.

‘We are winning the battle against this horrible disease’: British Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Picture: AFP

British politicians believe the country is winning the battle against the novel coronavirus after 36 people died from COVID-19 on Saturday — the lowest daily death figure since March 21.

The drop in the death rate comes as the country cautiously reopened on Monday.

“We are winning the battle against this horrible disease,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said late on Sunday.

But the impact of the lockdown on the young — schools are ­largely closed until at least September — was attributed to two large raves in Manchester that led to a drug death, the rape of an 18-year-old woman, three stabbings and an attack on police.

Manchester Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes said police were seeking further preventative measures to address community concerns during the pandemic.

“These raves were illegal and I condemn them taking place — they were clearly a breach of coronavirus legislation and guidelines, and have had tragic consequences,” Mr Sykes said.

On Monday, the lockdown eased as shops reopened, many with limited hours, for the first time in 84 days. Numbers were restricted and contactless payments were made behind perspex screens.

The boost to the economy from this cautious reopening may well be tenuous. More than half of the public are uncomfortable about going into shops, even though this will be the first time anything other than supermarkets or chemists will be open.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not know whether shoppers would “come in a flood or a trickle — I hope they will come in sensible numbers”.

In new rules to encourage people to get out and about, commuters will have to wear masks. Dentists have been flooded with appointments although many are restricting patients to emergency cases.

Restaurants, pubs, hairdressers and gyms remain shut until at least next month.

To date a total of 41,698 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus. Statistics show that most new infections are in the north of England and in nursing homes.

Mr Johnson said as the number of active cases fell, so rose the ability to reduce social distancing from 2m to the World Health Organisation recommended 1m, as France, China and Singapore have done.

“As we get the numbers down, so it becomes one in 1000, one in 1600, maybe even fewer, your chances of being 2m, or 1m, or even a foot away from somebody who has the virus is obviously going down statistically, so you start to build some more margin for ­manoeuvre,” he said.

But he said change on distancing would not happen until the next review on July 4, despite the economy shrinking by more than 20 per cent in April and facing further decline in May. Businesses say opening with distancing of 2m will cost up to three million jobs.

Next Tuesday businesses will have to start topping up the government’s furlough scheme for staff. Many may decide to lay off employees instead. Studies show nearly 80 per cent of hospitality businesses will reduce staff and half may close their doors for good. The government has already paid out £19.6bn for eight million furloughed workers.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said economists as well as scientists were reviewing the 2m rule, so “we can look at it in the round”.

“Now that we have made good progress in suppressing the virus, we’re at a different stage of this epidemic than we were at the beginning and that enables us to take a fresh look at this, Mr Sunak told Sky News.

“I can very much understand the impact, the positive impact it will have on business’s ability to reopen and thereby maintain the jobs that they have.”

Many parents are unable to return to work because they are homeschooling their children. Only a small percentage are back at school, and new guidance limits class sizes to just 15 pupils.