UK records another 2,474 coronavirus cases, 20 deaths

LONDON, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Another 2,474 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,439,691, according to official figures released Tuesday.

The country also reported another 20 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,629. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

More than 35.5 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures.

Earlier Tuesday, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that people in Scotland will be able to hug and meet in each other's homes from Monday next week as the region continues to ease COVID restrictions.

Most areas in Scotland will move to Level Two restrictions, which will also allow pubs and restaurants to sell alcohol indoors, according to Sturgeon.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed Monday that the lockdown in England will be further lifted from next week.

From May 17, pubs, bars and restaurants in England will be permitted to open indoors, while indoor entertainment will also resume, including cinemas, museums and children's play areas, he said.

People in England will be allowed to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people, and meet indoors in groups of up to six or as two households.

Meanwhile, all remaining accommodation including hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen from next Monday, according to Johnson.

However, experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is "still not out of the woods" amid concerns over new variants, particularly those first emerged in South Africa, Brazil and India, and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.