Coronavirus news you might have missed overnight: Boris Johnson discharged from hospital, as British public backs tighter lockdown restrictions if needed to beat disease

Expert warns UK could be worst-hit country in Europe as ‘sombre day’ sees death toll pass 10,000

The coronavirus pandemic continues to cause chaos around the UK and across the world.

Here’s your morning briefing of everything you may have missed overnight.

Prime minister discharged from hospital after being admitted for coronavirus symptoms

Boris Johnson was discharged from hospital on Easter Sunday, seven days after being admitted for coronavirus symptoms and following a spell in intensive care.

The prime minister will continue to recuperate at Chequers - his official country retreat - and will not return to work immediately following advice from his doctors, Downing Street said.

In an emotional video message, Mr Johnson said the NHS “saved my life, no question” and singled out two nurses for praise who were at his bedside when “things could have gone either way”.

British public back tighter lockdown restrictions if needed to beat disease

A new poll found the British public backs unprecedented coronavirus lockdown restrictions and are willing to accept tighter controls if experts deem them necessary to beat the disease.

The BMG survey for The Independent found voters are prepared to see parks closed and tighter limits placed on workers travelling to non-essential jobs, and would regard an extension of the current lockdown to the start of July as reasonable.

But there were indications support will wane if orders to stay indoors and avoid social contact stretch too far into the summer, with an extension to the start of August regarded as unreasonable by 41 per cent and the start of September by 48 per cent.

Transport staff could be among first sent back to work when lockdown is lifted

Sources revealed transport staff would be one of the first sent back to work if ministers decide to lift lockdown restrictions on a sector by sector basis.

It would be part of a drive to “get the economy moving again” that could also see schools re-opened.

The government is due to review the coronavirus lockdown restrictions later this week, however there is no expectation they will be lifted for weeks.

UK could be worst-hit country in Europe, experts warn, as ‘sombre day’ sees death toll pass 10,000

The UK endured a “sombre day” in its battle against coronavirus as the death toll soared beyond 10,000 on Sunday amid warnings the UK could be the worst-hit country in Europe.

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, confirmed that some 737 people had died in hospital from the virus, taking the tally of UK deaths from Covid-19 to 10,612 on Sunday.

The news came as one of the government’s most senior scientific advisers warned that the UK was “likely to be one of the worst, if not the worst, affected countries in Europe” by the outbreak.