COVID-19 death toll reaches 11,329 in UK, 88,621 cases confirmed

The death toll of those hospitalized in Britain who tested positive for the novel coronavirus reached 11,329 as of Sunday afternoon, marking a daily increase of 717, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

As of Monday morning, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Britain hit 88,621, said the department, adding that 367,667 tests have concluded, with 14,506 tests on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Chairing Monday's Downing Street daily press briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, also First Secretary of State, said the government does not expect to relax or lift the coronavirus lockdown later this week.

"We are still not past the peak," even though there are some "positive signs" from the data that show "we are starting to win this struggle", said Raab.

"We don't expect to make any changes to the measures currently in place at that point and we won't until we're confident -- as confident as we realistically can be -- that any such changes can be safely made," he said.

Downing Street confirmed Sunday that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was discharged from hospital to continue his recovery at Chequers, the prime minister's country retreat.

Johnson said later in a video on Twitter: "It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS (National Health Service) for saving my life."

He also said that the efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it. "Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past."

Downing Street has not revealed when the prime minister will return to work.

"The prime minister is focusing on his recovery and he is not currently carrying out government work," a Downing Street spokesperson said Monday.