London, Jun 12 (IANS): UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock ha urged Britons to participate in the government's test and trace system designed to help the easing of the coronavirus lockdown measures.

Chairing Thursday's Downing Street press briefing, Hancock said the test and trace system is "critical" to easing lockdown, calling it a "civic duty" for the public to participate in the scheme, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Participation with NHS (National Health Service) test and trace is your civic duty," Hancock said.

One third of people who tested positive for coronavirus could not be reached by the government's contact tracing system, or refused to hand over their contacts.

Between May 28 and June 3, 8,117 people who tested positive for COVID-19 were transferred to the NHS test and trace system.

Around two-thirds, 5,407 people provided details of those they had come into close contact with to the government scheme, the department said.

"The system is working well... it will keep getting better," said Hancock.

As of Friday morning, the number of coronavirus cases in the UK stood at 292,860, with 41,364 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.