Coronavirus update UK: 4,044 new cases confirmed on Monday

There were 4,044 new confirmed coronavirus infections in the UK as of Monday morning, the UK government data showed, per Reuters. This reading followed Sunday's increase of 5,693.

Earlier in the day, British health minister Matt Hancock announced they will be introducing further legal restrictions on households due to a sharp increase in the number of cases in northeastern England.

"We know that a large number of these infections are taking place in indoor settings outside the home," Hancock explained. "And so, at the request of the local councils, with whom we've been working closely, we will introduce legal restrictions on indoor mixing between households in any setting."

Market reaction

The GBP/USD pair largely ignored these comments and was last seen gaining 1.04% on the day at 1.2877.