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The United Kingdom will need to remain in a state of full lockdown until June at least to avoid the worst impact of the deadly coronavirus.

That's the view of the government's top epidemiologist, professor Neil Ferguson, who is advising the government in the battle against coronavirus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson - who is infected with COVID-19 himself and is working from isolation - is writing to all 30m UK households, urging them to stay inside and warning that restrictions on daily life could become even stricter if needed.

In an interview, Professor Ferguson of Imperial College told the Sunday Times: “We are going to have to keep these measures in place, in my view, for a significant period of time - probably until the end of May, maybe even early June. May is optimistic."

And he said even when the lockdown is lifted, there will need to be some form of social distancing kept in place for many more months afterwards.

This is likely to mean schools and universities remaining closed and people continuing to work from home rather than offices for the foreseeable future.

Professor Ferguson's predictions come as the UK death toll shot up over the 1,000 figure yesterday.

A total of 1,019 people have died in UK hospitals after being diagnosed with coronavirus, while 17,089 have tested positive and hundreds of thousands more are thought to be infected.

In his letter to the public, Mr Johnson says the right preparations are being made and the more closely people follow the restrictions, "the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal".

Residents will also get a leaflet outlining the government's advice - looking at symptoms, hand washing, rules on leaving the house, self-isolating with symptoms and shielding vulnerable people.

The Prime Minister writes: "We know things will get worse before they get better.

"But we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal."

Mr Johnson adds: "I want to thank everyone who is working flat out to beat the virus, in particular the staff in our fantastic NHS and care sector across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Show your support for our #NHSheroes Honour our NHS heroes - from the surgeons to the porters, the nurses to the catering staff, the physios to the midwives, and the paramedics to the GPs - by helping to create a map of gratitude from every corner of Britain. We need our health workers now more than ever as they work superhuman hours and go above and beyond to protect us. Click HERE to drop a heart or a message on the map, and show you appreciate the efforts undertaken daily in the NHS. You can now also make a donation to NHS Heroes Help From Home, starting from £2.. As a thank you, everyone who donates will be entered into the weekly NHS Heroes Raffle. Click HERE to donate or to find out more - or click the link from within the Thanks a Million map. Thanks a million, NHS workers - we love you.

"It has been truly inspirational to see our doctors, nurses and other carers rise magnificently to the needs of the hour.

"Thousands of retired doctors and nurses are returning to the NHS - and hundreds of thousands of citizens are volunteering to help the most vulnerable.

"That is why, at this moment of national emergency, I urge you, please, to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."

The number of coronavirus cases in Liverpool hit 100 yesterday - taking Merseyside's total to over 200 for the first time during the pandemic.

The total number of cases in the UK was reported as 17,089 with an estimated 1,019 deaths, up by 260.

New figures on the spread of the virus will be released later today.