Britain on Friday reported a record 684 new COVID-19 deaths in its daily update, as the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus climbed by 4,450 on the previous 24 hours.

"As of 9am (0800 GMT) 3 April, a total of 173,784 people have been tested of which 38,168 tested positive. As of 5pm on 2 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 3,605 have sadly died," the health ministry said in a statement.