The government is likely to meet or “come close” to its target of 100,000 daily UK coronavirus tests, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised the government would achieve the aim by the end of April – which was Thursday – and those figures are expected later.
Just over 81,000 tests across the UK took place on Wednesday but ministers said there was capacity for more.
It came as the PM said the UK was now “past the peak” of the outbreak.
Mr Jenrick told BBC Breakfast the target was “just a stepping stone” and that the foundations were in place for a strong national testing network.
The number of people who had died after testing positive for Covid-19 in UK hospitals and the wider community is now 26,771, a rise of 674 on the day before, the latest figures show.
A further 352 deaths were reported in England on Thursday, along with 40 more in Scotland, 18 more in Northern Ireland and 17 more in Wales.
The latest UK-wide figures – which use a different timeframe to those of individual nations – will be published later.
