People urged to stay at home over Easter as Sheffield temperature expected to soar to 21C

With the government under pressure to set out an exit strategy from the lockdown, officials said it was ‘premature’ to start thinking about easing the restrictions.

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As of Thursday there were 8,958 hospital deaths from the disease - an increase of 980 on the previous day.

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At the daily No 10 press briefing yesterday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock insisted the NHS had the capacity to cope with the rising numbers of cases.

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But with fine weather forecast for many parts of the country this weekend, there were fears people would flock to parks and beaches.

Temperatures are set to reach 21C in Sheffield today and 18C on Easter Sunday.

Mr Hancock acknowledged Easter would be a ‘test of the nation's resolve’ but said the clear message from NHS staff battling to save desperately sick patients was ‘they need you to stay at home’.

With the government due to carry out the first three-week review of the lockdown measures next week, ministers are facing calls to explain how the restrictions will ultimately be lifted.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government's scientific advisory group for emergencies (Sage) would be studying the evidence but they would not be able to say more until the end of the week.

Downing Street declined to comment on reports in The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail that while ministers hoped restrictions such as the closure of schools and shops could lifted in early June, other social distancing measures might have to remain, potentially indefinitely or until a vaccine is found.

Speaking at the No 10 press conference, the deputy chief medical officer for England, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, warned it was ‘premature’ to think the outbreak had reached its peak.

While he said there were signs the ‘curve is bending’ in terms of hospital admissions, he said it was still too soon to start lifting the lockdown.

“We are in a dangerous phase still,” he said.

“It's premature to say we are at a peak and the push we are making with social distancing just has to continue.”