Lockdown restrictions could be eased for outdoor activities, officials have indicated as the UK's declared death toll from coronavirus passed Italy's to become the highest in Europe.

The grim milestone was reached as official figures showed the death toll was more than 32,000 and analysis by the PA news agency found at least 140 NHS and care workers have lost their lives.

Despite the mounting human cost of the pandemic, ministers are confident the UK is past the peak of the outbreak and have begun drawing up plans for the eventual lifting of the restrictions imposed to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Downing Street indicated that "easements" were being considered - along with possible tightening of rules in other areas.

The existing lockdown restrictions are expected to remain in place following a review of the evidence due to be carried out by Thursday, but Boris Johnson is expected to set out a "roadmap" of future steps later in the week.

Speaking at the daily Downing Street briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab warned "we need to be under no illusions, the next stage won't be easy".

He added: "If we are going to protect life and preserve our way of life, we must continue to be guided by the scientific advice we receive and make sure that the next steps we take are sure-footed and sustainable."

But he said ministers wanted "to make sure that the next phase is more comfortable, is more sustainable and prevents lasting damage to jobs and livelihoods".

Mr Raab also said ministers are looking at sports being played behind closed doors in the second phase of the coronavirus response.

The prospect of the UK edging towards life after lockdown came as figures showed total of 32,375 deaths involving Covid-19 have now been registered across the UK.

The official number of Covid-19 deaths in Italy, the European country which was first to experience the true horror of coronavirus, stood at 29,315 as of 5pm on May 5, according to the ministry of health in Rome.

But the full picture in both countries will not be known for some time, and Downing Street warned against comparing deaths across different countries.

In other developments:

- Virgin Atlantic announced plans to cut more than 3,000 jobs and end its operation at Gatwick;

- Experts said lockdown restrictions should be eased "very gradually" in order to maintain public trust, according to a newly-published paper from a scientific pandemic influenza group which looks at behaviour and is advising the Government;

- Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said fewer than one in six people are thought to have had coronavirus so far;

- Testing again failed to meet the 100,000 daily target set by the Government, with 84,806 tests on Monday.

- Office for National Statistics figures showed there were 2,794 care home deaths in England and Wales linked to Covid-19 and registered in the week ending April 24, up from 2,050 during the previous seven days.