UK’s chief scientific adviser says coronavirus outcome has ‘not been good in the UK’

It is clear that the outcome of the pandemic so far has not been good in the UK, the government’s chief scientific adviser has admitted.

Sir Patrick Vallance also told MPs that he and his scientific colleagues had advised the government to lock down the country a week before they actually did and that different waves of the virus were likely to be around for a number of years.

In the last 24 hours the official number of UK deaths has risen by 66 – to a total of 45,119.

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock said most local lockdown restrictions would have to remain in force in Leicester – although the infection rate is slowing, he said it still remained far above the national average.