Images shared online show people ignoring social distancing rules in Highbury Fields

THE nationwide lockdown rules are set to continue past Monday with the UK still yet to reach the peak in the coronavirus epidemic, the Government said last night.

It was confirmed ­yesterday (Thursday) that another 881 deaths had been registered, bringing the overall number across the ­country to 7,978.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been suffering from the virus himself, left intensive care but remained in hospital.

The lockdown ­restrictions on public movement are due for review on April 13 but there is no prospect of them being relaxed.

Dominic Raab, who is deputising for the Prime Minister, said at the daily briefing, that “we are not done yet, we must keep going”. He added: “The deaths are still rising and we haven’t yet reached the peak of the virus, so it’s still too early to lift the measures that we put in place.”

More than 65,077 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK with 276 confirmed cases in Islington.

This figure only gives a partial snapshot of how the borough has been affected, as thousands are believed to have had the virus at home without needing hospital treatment, and not being tested.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, said there was cause for some hope as the number of hospital admissions appeared to be “flattening off”, but that social distancing measures must continue.

Mr Raab added that he hoped the public would not be tempted to break the isolation rules this Easter weekend.

Islington Council leader Richard Watts echoed this call.

He said: “With Easter this weekend and warm weather expected, it might be tempting to break the rules by going outside and taking a more relaxed attitude to social distancing, but it’s vital that we all play our part.”