The U.K. is not considering lifting the lockdown imposed almost four weeks ago given "deeply worrying" increases in the death toll, a senior minister said on Sunday.

The U.K. has reported more than 16,000 deaths, the fifth highest national death toll of the pandemic that has killed over 163,000 people worldwide.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said reports that the government was considering lifting the lockdown in phases over the coming months were false.

"The facts and the advice are clear at the moment that we should not be thinking of lifting of these restrictions yet," Gove told Sky News.

Gove said the government was worried about the high levels od deaths in the country.

"The evidence suggests that the rate of infection and the death rate is flattening, but we're not absolutely certain that we are yet on a downward trajectory," he said.

The health ministry said 21,626 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Saturday — still far short of the government's target of 100,000 per day by the end of the month.

But Gove said he was confident that the government would hit the target.