Britain’s coronavirus death toll jumps by 151 as official number of victims reaches 41,279

Britain’s coronavirus death toll today jumped by 151, the lowest increase on a Thursday since March 19, taking the official Government total to 41,279. 

There have been more than 291,400 positive test results for the virus so far, the Department of Health announced, but there are millions of Britons who have gone undiagnosed over the course of the pandemic. 

NHS England today recorded 83 lab-confirmed Covid-19 deaths in hospitals. Wales registered six victims in all settings, followed by five in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland.

Britain’s coronavirus death toll yesterday rose by 245 — a figure that was 46 per cent lower than the 359 fatalities registered the Wednesday before.

In other coronavirus developments in Britain today: 

• The contact tracing system has only tracked the contacts of two-thirds of Covid-19 patients, damning figures show, as lead of system says the system is not ‘at the gold standard we want to be’;
• Rishi Sunak has heaped pressure on Boris Johnson to ease the two-metre social distancing rule amid a major Tory revolt;
• Research suggests cases of Covid-19 have halved in one week. 

Damning figures today showed Number 10’s flagship contact tracing system has only tracked down the contacts of two thirds of Covid-19 patients.

Between May 28 and June 3, 8,117 people who tested positive for the coronavirus were referred to the NHS’s flagship scheme. 

But shocking statistics show contact tracers could only get information from 67 per cent of them (5,407).

Hundreds did not respond to phone calls or refused to give details of people they had been in contact with, the Department of Health admitted in another blow to the scheme that  has been described as ‘shambolic’ by workers.

Overall 31,794 contacts were identified — the equivalent of almost six (5.8) for every infected patient. Only 26,985 of these contacts — 85 per cent — were tracked down and advised to self-isolate, the statistics revealed. 

Of those people who were reached and asked to provide information about their contacts, just over three-quarters (79 per cent) were contacted within 24 hours of their case being transferred to the Test and Trace system.

Baroness Dido Harding — the head of the test and trace scheme — today admitted it wasn’t yet ‘at the gold standard we want to be’. She added: ‘Is it completely perfect? No, of course it isn’t.’

The data comes as feedback from the Isle of Wight suggested that the NHS’s long-awaited coronavirus contact tracing app — which has yet to be rolled-out — could be an effective way to stop the spread of the disease.

Just two new cases of the illness have been discovered on the island since the app’s initial trial ended on May 26 — a noticeable drop on the 45 cases spotted during the trial, suggesting it stopped patients from infecting other people.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock previously promised the app, then considered a vital part of the government’s test and trace strategy, would be ready to be rolled out across the UK by the middle of May.

But repeated delays have meant the app — now considered the cherry on top of the cake — is still unavailable anywhere except the Isle of Wight.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces mounting pressure to reduce the two-metre rule from Tory backbenchers.

MPs and businesses warn that keeping the restriction in place could sink tens of thousands of businesses. Campaigners say it stops schools reopening properly while pubs and restaurants fear going bust.

Rishi Sunak has now joined the major Tory revolt – the Chancellor indicated his support for loosening the guidelines as he answered questions from Conservative MPs last night.

Mr Sunak highlighted warnings from business about the dire consequences of the limit, and pointed out dozens of countries have already relaxed it to one metre. 

He said he was ‘sympathetic’ to concerns that sectors of the economy cannot get up and running until the situation changes.

There are increasing signs that the PM is preparing to shift on the crucial issue, with Downing Street sources saying he ‘instinctively’ wants to free up business but fears a second peak.

It is understood several other Cabinet ministers are pushing for an overhaul soon.