An 18-year-old is understood to have become the youngest person to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus.

The number of people who have died after contracting the highly contagious respiratory disease rose by 48 in a day to 281 on Sunday.

COVID-19 infections in the UK have increased by 665 to 5,683, the Department of Health said.

In England, 37 more people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to 257.

The patients were aged between 18 and 102 years old - thought to be the youngest and oldest so far.


They were all were in vulnerable groups, with underlying health conditions.

Boris Johnson said in his daily news conference on Sunday that the government is ready to impose tougher restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus if people do not follow the guidance on social distancing.

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There have been seven fatalities in Wales over the last 24 hours, taking its total to 12 and a further three in Scotland, where the number of deaths overall now stands at 10.

Meanwhile, an elderly patient with an underlying medical condition has become the second person to die in Northern Ireland after testing positive for coronavirus.

Health officials said another 71 people had tested positive for coronavirus in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 347.

In Scotland, 416 have now tested positive.

An in-depth look at UK coronavirus deaths

The chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, said: "It is with deep sadness I can confirm a further seven deaths of patients in Wales who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).

"This takes the number of deaths in Wales to 12."

He added: "My thoughts are with their families and friends, and I ask that their privacy is respected at this very sad time."

The Welsh government said five people had died in the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, one in Nevill Hall, Abergavenny, and one in Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil.

All were in the high-risk category - either over 70 or with underlying health conditions, according to the authorities.

There have now been more than 328,000 cases worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, and more than 14,300 deaths.