The latest figures, released by the Department for Health, show that coronavirus cases are down 17.7 percent in a week.

A total of 1,003 deaths have been recorded in the last seven days, a 3.3 percent weekly rise.

The update also shows 48,573,881 first jabs have been administered, up 25,375 in a day.

This means 89.4 percent of people aged 16 and over have received a first vaccine dose.

A further 71,101 second vaccine doses have also been given, taking the total to 44,428,209 – 81.7 percent of the population aged 16 and above.

This even as  the UK government is relaxing the rules for travel abroad, with the amber list to be scrapped among other changes.

A number of countries have also been taken off the red list.

But many countries continue to impose restrictions on British travellers, as the pandemic continues.

(With input from agencies)