Britain has hit its target of carrying out 100,000 COVID-19 tests a day, health minister Matt Hancock said on Friday, stressing that the programme was crucial to helping ease a national lockdown.
Hancock also announced that the British death toll had risen by 739 to 27,510 deaths - just below that of Italy which was one of the first and worst-hit European states.
At a news conference on Friday, Hancock said 122,347 tests were conducted in the 24 hours to 0800 GMT.“This unprecedented expansion in British testing capability is an incredible achievement,” he said. “Testing is crucial to suppress the virus ... It helps remove the worry. It helps keep people safe, and it will help us to unlock the lockdown.”
“It’s still too early to say and I’m really sorry to have to give that answer, but it is,” he replied. “Tonight’s headline figure shouldn’t count tests that hadn’t been used, or indeed, might never be used as a completed test,” said Labour Party health spokesman Jon Ashworth.
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