The minister now takes questions. The first comes from Nick in London, a member of the public who asks how the government will help school leavers and other young people impacted by the pandemic.

Hancock says the government has given the economy an "unprecedented" amount of support and cites the furlough scheme.

He adds: "The economy is going to have to change - you'll be hearing more of that from the chancellor and the prime minister."

A further 111 deaths have been confirmed across the UK, Hancock adds, taking the total to 39,045.

This is the lowest daily fatality figure for more than two months.

Hancock says this - and the other figures - shows that the UK's action plan is "working" and the UK "is winning the battle against the virus".

Despite the significant progress, he says the UK cannot let up on social distancing or other measures as the "disease is not done yet".

Image source, UK Gov

There were 1,570 new recorded cases of people testing positive on Sunday, Hancock says.

This is the lowest figure since the lockdown began on 23 March.

He says this shows the virus is being brought under control, allowing the modest steps to relax restrictions, which came into effect earlier.

Hancock says the number of patients on mechanical ventilators is also at its lowest level since 23 March.

Image source, UK GOV

Moving onto the daily figures, Hancock says there were 128,437 tests for the virus in the past 24 hours – this figure includes kits mailed out to people as well as tests conducted – taking the total so far to 4.48 million tests.

But he says the UK has the capacity to conduct 206,444 tests a day and that "anyone who needs a test can get one".

They can do so by visiting nhs.uk/coronavirus, external or by calling 119.

The health secretary starts by stressing it is "incredibly important" that any people with symptoms - a cough, fever, or loss of sense and smell - get tested so the virus can be controlled.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock begins today's UK government coronavirus press conference.

He is accompanied by national testing coordinator Prof John Newton.

The UK briefing is due in a few minutes.

While we wait, why not watch this lovely video of thousands of people forming an online choir to sing Handel's Messiah?

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester's annual Caribbean Carnival has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers said the decision was made with "deep regret", but vowed to return with a "bigger and better" carnival in 2021.

Manchester City Council's executive member for culture, Luthfur Rahman, said it was a matter of safety.

The festival, traditionally held in August, attracts about 30,000 visitors to the Moss Side area of the city.

It would have been the first carnival held under new management after previous organisers were stripped of the right to run this year's event.

Image source, SNS

Retailers in Scotland have called on the Scottish government to take "radical" action to boost the local economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has set out a series of short-term proposals intended "to build consumer confidence and encourage shoppers back into town and city centres".

The suggested measures include:

• Targeted tax cuts, putting money back in the pockets of ordinary workers
• A short-life scrappage scheme, replacing old household items with more eco-friendly versions
• Cash payments for the least affluent
• Abolishing town centre parking charges

"There is a slew of evidence which indicates retailers will face the toughest trading conditions this century once the country emerges from lockdown," said Ewan MacDonald-Russell, SRC's head of policy.

"The Scottish government must take bold and imaginative steps to deliver an economic stimulus package which will drive the economy on the road to recovery."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock will be starting the UK government's daily briefing in just under 15 minutes.

Ministers have said the UK's track and trace systems, designed to slow the spread of coronavirus, will be instrumental in helping to lift lockdown and get the country moving again. But critics say they might not be that useful.

So while we wait for the press conference, why not read our full analysis of the systems?

Sarah Rainsford
BBC Moscow Correspondent

Image source, Sarah Rainsford

It’s been a grey and rainy first day out of lockdown as Muscovites were allowed out for exercise at last - albeit only three days a week - and city parks and shops reopened for business. Facemasks are now mandatory, though plenty of people take that quite loosely, stringing them round their chins.

This relaxing of the coronavirus restrictions is happening with the infection rate in Russia’s capital still stubbornly high, with around 70 confirmed Covid-19 deaths each day. But officials here insist that the worst has passed and President Vladimir Putin certainly wants to move on. He’s already rescheduled the 75th anniversary Victory Day parade for later this month.

He has now announced that a key vote on constitutional reforms, which that would allow him another two terms in office, will take place on 1 July.

It’s thought the Kremlin is keen to hold it before the strain of Covid-19 on the country’s economy, and on Putin’s approval rating, really show.

Image source, Sarah Rainsford

The UK daily briefing is due to start in around half an hour. Stay with us for all the live updates as we get them.

In the meantime, here's the latest news from today:

• More primary schools have opened for children in reception, year one and year six. But many parents have kept their kids at home, fearing it is not yet safe, and some councils have chosen not to open their schools
• Citing breaches over the weekend, the Scottish government has said lockdown measures north of the border could be enforced with new laws
• Staying overnight away from home is now a crime in England. Police can tell people to go home, but cannot enter someone's house to remove guests
• Brighton city council has called for more powers from government to implement its own lockdown, after huge crowds filled its parks and beaches

Oliver Barnes
BBC News

Image source, Ariel Laura

After nearly three months stranded in the Rheinsberg Palace, north-west of the German capital Berlin, Bolivia’s Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos is on its way home.

The 25-strong traditional panpipe orchestra was forced to quarantine in the castle’s grounds after Bolivia shut its borders and Germany locked down back in March.

Their fortnight-long tour turned into an 82-day quarantine in the former residence of Fredrick the Great.

The orchestra is due to touch down shortly in Madrid, where they have seats on a connecting flight to Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Image source, Getty Images

Bolivia’s top diplomat in Germany, Gustavo Ramiro Espinoza Trujillo, told the BBC: “Getting stuck in Germany was hard luck for everyone involved, but fortunately I saw the musicians today before they left and they were quite relaxed.

“They were happy to be heading home and see their families, but many of them are concerned about the situation in Bolivia.”

All of the musicians tested negative for coronavirus at the end of last week, but they will still need to quarantine in a hotel for seven days at their own expense upon their arrival back home.

There have been nearly 10,000 cases and 300 deaths in Bolivia, which has a population of about 11 million people.

Image source, Ariel Laura

People in England and Wales with medical conditions that make them extremely vulnerable to Covid-19 have been told it is safe for them to leave their homes for the first time in months.

But some are still saying no. Angela Steatham in Powys, whose immune system is severely affected by chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, says: "I'm not going anywhere."

Her village is popular with tourists, making the neighbourhood too crowded and risky, she says.

"This weekend we have been inundated with people - none of them following social distancing rules," she said.

But Derek Cummings, who has the lung condition emphysema, ventured out of his house in Treorchy in south Wales with relief today.

"You won't see me on any beaches, you won't see me with any crowds - you've got to use your sense," he says.

Read more

The government's daily press conference will start in about an hour's time. It'll be led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who'll be joined by Prof John Newton, who's responsible for the UK's testing programme.

Expect questions about the government's track and trace system, whether it was safe to re-open schools today, and whether lockdown measures are being lifted too quickly.

Stephen McDonell
BBC News, China correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier we reported that the annual candlelit vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Hong Kong has been banned. Authorities are citing coronavirus concerns.

Now Lee Cheuk-yan, the organiser of the anniverary event, has questioned why schools, karaoke or swimming were permitted to go ahead but not a peaceful rally.

Four people in Hong Kong have died from Covid-19, and the city has had just over 1,000 infections.

Vigil organisers now say they want people to light a candle at 20:00 local time on Thursday and observe a minute's silence wherever they are in the city.

It'll be interesting to see what the participation rate for this is, and if people do it outdoors.

Image source, Reuters

Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, one of the world's largest and most popular markets, has opened for the first time in more than two months.

The 500-year-old market has narrow alleyways with thousands of shops, making it difficult to manage in terms of social distancing.

Visitors will have their temperatures checked and will have to wear masks. The number of people entering will also be restricted. It is normally visited by 150,000 people a day.

Officials say this has been the longest closure in the bazaar's history, except for forced shutdowns following natural disasters.

Image source, Reuters

Turkey is relaxing its lockdown restrictions, and parks, beaches, libraries and museums have reopened across the country. Millions of people in the public sector have returned to work, but bars and nightclubs remain closed.

Turkey has reported more than 4,500 virus-related deaths.

Image source, Getty Images

Some of Italy's famed cultural sites re-opened on Monday after being closed for almost three months.

Visitors can again wander around the Colosseum in Rome, but must follow strict sanitary guidelines to guard against coronavirus infection. Face masks are compulsory and the number of visitors is limited.

The Vatican museums also re-opened, allowing people to once again admire the Sistine Chapel, while following social distancing rules.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

With much of Europe loosening coronavirus restrictions, the picture is mixed in Latin America, where the number of cases continues to rise steeply.

• In Colombia, part of the capital Bogotá is facing an extra-strict lockdown after it became a hotspot for infections. No-one in the working-class neighbourhood of Kennedy will be allowed to leave their homes, except for medical reasons or to buy food. The measure applies to almost 1.5 million residents.
• Restrictions are being loosened in Bolivia from Monday, but four of the country's nine regions say they will not end their lockdowns until the number of infections falls considerably.
• In neighbouring Chile, the number of cases is almost 10 times that of Bolivia. With the country at almost 100,000 cases, Health Minister Paula Daza said Chile was going through "its most difficult weeks".
• In some positive news, a Bolivian orchestra which had been stuck in a German castle due to travel restrictions is now on its way home. Read about their unusual experience here.

Here are our latest graphics showing the current coronavirus picture around the world.

For more coronavirus statistics and graphics click here.

The first graph shows how quickly the global number of coronavirus cases has risen to six million.

This map of the United States shows how many cases there have been in each state - the bigger the circle, the higher the number of cases.

The numbers of deaths, over a seven-day average, in the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium and Germany are all falling.

However, the number of deaths in Brazil, Russia, Mexico and Peru are rising.

The US has the highest number of coronavirus-related deaths and cases, although both seven-day averages are declining.