NEW coronavirus infections are ’flattening out’ in the UK says the country’s deputy chief scientific advisor.

Angela Maclean was addressing the Government’s daily briefing on the pandemic.

Today’s total for new cases of the disease is 4, 676, the lowest for four days, which Ms Maclean described as a relief.

In Cornwall the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached 400.

Meanwhile, chancellor Rishi Sunak said that more than 140,000 companies have applied for grants through the job retention (furlough) scheme, which will help pay more than a million people’s wages.

In Cornwall, there is £89m in available grant funding for small businesses which has not been claimed.

The local authority says it has paid out £185m in the last 10 days to more than 16,000 small businesses, with grants of up to £25,000.

But an estimated 7,900 small businesses in Cornwall and 86 on the Isles of Scilly have yet to claim the money they could receive.

Cornwall Council is urging every small business that thinks it might be eligible to get in touch.

’This is emergency funding from Government that we are distributing to around 24,000 qualifying businesses,’ said Cllr Bob Egerton.

’We have been working day and night to get it out the door because we know it is desperately needed by many small businesses impacted by the pandemic.’