The UK government is likely to meet or “come close” to its target of 100,000 daily coronavirus tests, Community Secretary, Robert Jericks has said.
Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said that the government would achieve the aim by the end of April – which has now passed.
Just over 81,000 tests across the UK took place on April 30, but ministers said that there was capacity for more.
It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the UK was now “passed the peak of the outbreak”.
Jercins said: “It looks like we will either meet the target, but if we don’t, we will come close.
“The targets are stepping stones. The foundations are in place for a strong national testing network”.
The total number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in UK hospitals and the wider community is now 26,771, a rise of 674 on the previous day.
