Britain has recorded its highest daily number of new coronavirus cases since May, with 2,988 new infections announced on Sunday, AP reports.

Like other European countries, the UK is seeing the number of infections rise as society reopens after lockdown.

Some of the increase can be accounted for by expanded testing, which is identifying people who have mild or no symptoms. The number of hospital admissions and deaths has so far not shown a corresponding rise. Two new deaths were reported on Sunday.

The increased number of cases comes as British schoolchildren return to class, a milestone in the resumption of normal life.

Britain's confirmed coronavirus death toll stands at 41,551, the highest in Europe.