UK records another 23,254 coronavirus cases with 162 deaths

The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 162 to 46,717, the data showed on Sunday.

The official figures came as a senior British official said England's month-long lockdown, announced by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday, could be extended beyond Dec. 2 if necessary.

British Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove told Sky News on Sunday that tougher action was needed now because the "situation has been worse than any of us expected".

According to Gove, the government would review the data in November.

"We will always take a decision in the national interest, based on evidence," he said.

"We want to be in a position where we can -- and I believe that this is likely to be the case -- have an approach where if we bring down the rate of infection sufficiently we can reduce measures nationally and also reduce measures regionally."

Johnson announced Saturday that England will enter a lockdown from Thursday until Dec. 2. The latest move was announced as the number of Britain's confirmed cases surpassed 1 million mark on Saturday.

Under the new measures, the second of its kind since the start of the pandemic in the country, people in England will only be allowed to leave their homes for specific reasons, such as education, work or food shopping, said Johnson.

Pubs, bars and restaurants will close across the country except for takeaways. Non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure and entertainment venues will also be shut, he said.

Schools, colleges and universities will remain open, said the prime minister, adding that those who cannot work from home, such as construction or manufacturing workers, will be encouraged to continue going to their workplaces.

Meanwhile, different households will be banned from mixing, although support bubbles and childcare bubbles will remain. Gyms will be shut but people can continue to exercise outdoors, at most with one person from another household, Johnson announced.

To bring life back to normal, countries, such as Britain, China, Russia and the United States, are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines.