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Good afternoon and welcome to Downing Street for today鈥檚 coronavirus briefing.

We鈥檙e going to do things slightly differently today. I鈥檓 going to go through the charts. I鈥檓 joined by Professor John Newton from the test and trace programme. We鈥檒l then answer questions from the public and from journalists.

If there鈥檚 one message that we have today it鈥檚 that it is incredibly important for anybody who has symptoms of coronavirus 鈥� a cough or a fever or a change in your sense of taste or smell 鈥� that you get a test.

It鈥檚 by people coming forward to get a test, which you can get on or by dialling 119. It鈥檚 by getting those tests that we鈥檙e able to identify those who have the virus, ensuring you get the best possible treatment and ensuring that we can then trace the virus and through that we can control the virus.

That is the most important message and what everyone can do to help control this virus.

The first slide shows testing capacity and new cases. Yesterday there were 128,437 tests in the UK, meaning there has been a total 4.48 million tests carried out since the start of this crisis. Of course testing capacity stands at a higher level, 206,444.

This shows there is extra capacity for more tests and tests are available right now on the website if you go to or dial 119. I want to highlight that because it鈥檚 so important that people come forward for a test and anyone who needs a test can get a test.

The next chart shows that there are 1,570 cases confirmed as of yesterday. This is the lowest number since 25 March. In total, 276,332 cases have been confirmed. But this number of 1,570 shows that we鈥檝e seen continued downward progress is the number of new confirmed cases.

We鈥檙e getting this virus under control, which is why we can make the cautious, small, positive steps we鈥檝e been able to make today. If we look at the number of admissions to hospital with COVID-19, 479. That鈥檚 down from a peak of 3,121 on 2 April. The proportion of people on mechanical ventilators, the number which corresponds to that 9% figure, is that there are 606 people on mechanical ventilators. Again, that is the lowest since late March.

The picture is repeated across the country. We鈥檝e seen in almost every case the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 is the lowest since late March. As of yesterday there were 7,541 in hospital with COVID-19.

The final slide. Sadly, 39,045 people have died with coronavirus, confirmed with a positive test. That鈥檚 111 yesterday. Again, that figure is the lowest figure since lockdown began on 23 March.

We can see from these charts the pattern right across the board, which is that we鈥檙e making significant progress, but that there is still more to be done.

I want to say a few notes of thanks: thanks to our volunteer responders who in their hundreds of thousands have come forward and stepped up to the plate.

Thanks to the charities and the charity groups who are working so hard in very difficult times.

Thanks to colleagues in the NHS and in social care. Also to the businesses, pharmaceutical companies and diagnostic companies, without whom we simply couldn鈥檛 have mounted this response.

To the pharmacists and the dentists, and I鈥檓 very pleased that dentistry is going to restart from next week. Especially for their hard work and their understanding, all of the families who stand behind those who are on the frontline.

At the start of pride season, I want to take a moment when we can鈥檛 get together as we normally would to thank all colleagues in the LGBT community who do so much in the NHS and across social care.

I think this data shows that the action plan is working. The data shows that we鈥檙e winning the battle against coronavirus.

Today, we鈥檙e therefore able to make some cautious changes to the lockdown rules, carefully and safely. Of course these are balanced judgements and we take these decisions very carefully.

We must all remember that, in the war against this virus, we are all on the same side. We鈥檝e come so far together, we can take these steps together. But do not step too far. The disease is not done yet. We mustn鈥檛 throw away the progress that has been made.

Please take your responsibility seriously. If you have symptoms you must get a test and if the NHS asks you to isolate you must do so.

To everybody, stay alert, control the virus and save lives.