Deaths from COVID-19 rose 938 on Wednesday, taking the toll to at least 7,097, while the Prime Minister, who is in intensive care after being diagnosed with the virus, is making steady progress. In addition, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced emergency packages for charities. Here are the key coronavirus updates from the last 24-hours. 

The Prime Minister is making steady progress

Boris Johnson's condition is "improving" and he is now "sitting up in bed" after spending two nights in intensive care with coronavirus, the Chancellor has said. 

Rishi Sunak said the Prime Minister has been "engaging positively" with the medics treating him in St Thomas's Hospital in London on Wednesday, and that the latest from the hospital is the Prime Minister remains in intensive care where his condition is improving.

Downing Street later confirmed Mr Johnson remains in intensive care but is making "steady progress". 

£750m funding announced for charities  

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced £750m of funding for the charity sector in last night’s Downing Street briefing. Of which, £370m will support small, local charities working with vulnerable people. In England, this support will be provided through organisations like the National Lottery Communities Fund. £60m of this funding will be allocated through the Barnett formula to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The UK government will also provide £360m directly to charities providing essential services and supporting vulnerable people, as we battle the coronavirus. Up to £200m of those grants will support hospices. The rest will go to organisations like St Johns’ Ambulance and the Citizens Advice Bureau, as well as charities supporting vulnerable children, victims of domestic abuse, or disabled people. 

Government will match BBC’s Big Night In donations  

Mr Sunak said the government would match pound-for-pound whatever the public donated during the BBC's Big Night In charity appeal. He said it was essential to support the organisations helping those most in need due to the outbreak.  

The Chancellor also warned that the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak would result in real hardship for people. 

He said: "This will have a significant impact on our economy - and not in an abstract way. It will have an impact on people's jobs and their livelihoods. That is why we have taken the actions we have in order to help mitigate some of that. I believe we are doing the right things. I can't stand here and say there isn't going to be hardship ahead because there is." 

Count of cases is not accelerating to an unmanageable amount  

The nation saw its record number of deaths in hospitals, with a rise of 938 taking the toll to at least 7,097, according to Department of Health figures. 

Though significantly larger than the previous highest toll of 786, Deputy chief scientific adviser Professor Dame Angela McLean said new cases are not "accelerating out of control". 

Professor Angela McLean said the spread of the virus is not accelerating beyond control 

She said: "This count of new cases in the UK, day by day over the last few weeks, is not accelerating out of control. Yesterday [April 7], there were 5,492 new cases and the spread of the virus is not accelerating and that is good news." 

Lockdown review expected on week three delayed due to data 

Pressed about the lockdown, Mr Sunak said there will be a Cobra meeting today, chaired by the First Secretary of State Dominic Raab, involving the devolved administrations to talk about the approach to the review. The review, expected in the third week of lockdown, is dependent on data which will only be available next week.  

"But I think rather than speculate about the future, I think we should focus very seriously on the here and now and the present,” Mr Sunak said, reiterating that the priority is to stop the spread of the virus while insisting people should follow the advice to stay at home. 

On the prospect of different parts of the country emerging from the lockdown at different times, the Chancellor “avoided speculation”.