LONDON, April 5 (Xinhua) -- A total of 47,806 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Britain as of Sunday morning, a significant increase of 5,903 in the past 24 hours, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

As of Saturday afternoon, of those hospitalised who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, 4,934 have died, according to the department.

As infections and deaths continue to rise in the country, the British government has been repeatedly urging local people to stick to the rules of "social distancing".

"The vast majority of people are following the public health advice, which is absolutely critical, and staying at home," Sky News quoted Health Secretary Matt Hancock as saying.

"But there are a small minority of people who are still not doing that -- it's quite unbelievable frankly to see that there are some people who are not following the advice," said Hancock, warning these people are putting others' lives at risk and putting themselves in harm's way.

To boost morale, Queen Elizabeth II will address the nation about the pandemic in a televised broadcast around 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) Sunday.