coronavirus

China has reported a peak in new cases of coronavirus while Boris Johnson continues his recovery after being released from hospital.

On Sunday, 108 new cases of the virus were confirmed in China, the highest in the past five weeks, with almost all the new cases believed to be Chinese nationals returning home.

It comes after the total number of deaths in the UK reached 10,612 – although Boris Johnson has said “progress” is being made against the “enemy virus”.

He also gave heartfelt thanks to the NHS staff who treated him, singling out two nurses from New Zealand and Portugal, and the wider workforce battling coronavirus on the frontline.

He said: “The reason in the end my body did start to get enough oxygen was because for every second of the night they were watching and they were thinking and they were caring and making the interventions I needed.”

The government is set to decide on extending the UK’s lockdown in the coming days, with ministers keen to ensure the UK is past the peak of the outbreak and likely to extend it for at least three more weeks.

But 10 members of the Cabinet are reportedly urging lockdown conditions to be eased amid concerns about the impact on the economy.