Lockdown measures set to be discussed today as MP warns of possible extension

After Boris Johnson spent a third night in intensive care, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will deputise for him by chairing a Cobra emergency committee meeting this afternoon to discuss the lockdown measures with leaders of the devolved nations.

No decision is expected to be made at that meeting in the Prime Minister's absence, with key figures dealing with the response instead discussing whether to ease or strengthen the measures ahead of an announcement next week.

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With Wednesday seeing a rise of 938 deaths in hospitals of patients who tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK - the highest new total so far - and the Prime Minister still in hospital, there is thought to be little chance of the lockdown being lifted.

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The restrictions will face their toughest test so far over the Easter weekend, with temperatures set to reach 25C in some parts of the country, which it is feared could tempt more people to break the stay-at-home rules.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden urged the public not to give up on the measures over the long weekend as he predicted they would not be eased next week.

“I don't think it's very likely these measures are going to be changed given they're just starting to have an effect but, as we said, we would review them,” he told BBC News.

“It's only prudent that on an ongoing basis we review them after three weeks.”

Wales has already announced an extension of lockdown measures, and Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething said there is ‘virtually zero prospect’ of experts advising UK-wide measures can be eased yet.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak refused to ‘speculate’ about the future of the lockdown, instead confirming there would be a review of the measures ‘in and around three weeks’ after they started.

The three-week mark will be reached on Easter Monday, while legislation designed to assist with the containment must also be reviewed by April 16 at the latest.