UK COVID-19 death toll rises to nearly 50,000, Reuters tally shows

The United Kingdom's COVID-19 death toll neared 50,000 on Tuesday, a grim figure for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he takes steps to ease the coronavirus lockdown.

The toll now stands at 49,646, including death certificate data for England and Wales released on Tuesday up to May 22, previous figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and recent hospital deaths in England.