UK Covid deaths rise by another 1,290 after deadliest day EVER and 37,892 more new cases
ANOTHER 1,290 people have died with Covid as the UK battles through the peak of fatalities. It’s the third day in a row that more than 1,000 people have died. A further 37,892 people also tested positive for the deadly bug overnight. The country saw its highest-ever daily death toll on Tuesday when 1,620 more […]
ANOTHER 1,290 people have died with Covid as the UK battles through the peak of fatalities.
It’s the third day in a row that more than 1,000 people have died. A further 37,892 people also tested positive for the deadly bug overnight.
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The country saw its highest-ever daily death toll on Tuesday when 1,620 more deaths were recorded – but just 24 hours later, the grim record was broken with 1,820 further fatalities.
In England, an eight-year-old was among 789 to die in hospitals after being diagnosed with the virus.
A 25-year-old with no underlying health conditions also died.
Most fatalities – 166 – were recorded in the South East, with 156 deaths in the Midlands, 143 in London and 99 in the North West.
A further 97 people died in the east of England, while 85 fatalities were recorded in the North East and Yorkshire and 43 in the South West.
In Wales, 46 more fatalities and 1,153 cases were reported, with 89 deaths and 1,636 new infections recorded in Scotland.
A further 732 people tested positive in Northern Ireland, with 21 more deaths in hospitals.
Today Home Secretary Priti Patel announced fresh £800 fines for ANYONE attending illegal house parties – rising up to a total of £6,400 for repeat offenders.
The new measures have been introduced in a bid to drive deaths down as embattled medics across the country reach crisis point.
Earlier, the PM has refused to say if lockdown restrictions will still be in place by the summer – and warned it “unquestionably will be a tough few weeks ahead”.
It comes as:
- Travellers arriving in the UK could be forced to pay for a two-week quarantine in hotels to stop new mutations spreading
- Piers Morgan tells embattled Education Secretary Gavin Williamson he must resign after ‘failing’ the nation’s kids
- Some Brits are ‘jumping the vaccination queue’ to get jabs reserved for frontline NHS workers
- Covid cases continue to rise in 18 areas
- Glastonbury is cancelled for the second year in a row as the pandemic shows few signs of waning
A new study React by Imperial College London researchers appears to show that lockdown has failed to drive cases down.
London was the worst-hit area with one in 36 residents of the capital infected with Covid.
And the survey appears to show cases didn’t drop over ten days – unlike the start of the previous two lockdowns.
Scientists think the new, more contagious mutation may be to blame.
However, Tim Spector – lead scientist on the ZOE Covid Symptom Study – has disputed the findings, tweeting this afternoon: “Our data shows a different picture.
“We see halving new cases since the peak on January 1.”
The country’s R-rate could be as low as 0.8, he said, adding: “The React study paused for a month in December (unlike ours), so likely missed the peak.”
Currently, Knowsley in Merseyside has the highest rates in the country, with 1,104.3 cases per 100,000 people.
Slough in Berkshire is in second place, with 1,016.5 cases, and Sandwell in the West Midlands is in the third spot, with 915.
Meanwhile, rates are dropping in London, which has been the epicentre of the recent surge.
Despite that, four of the capital’s boroughs – Hounslow, Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Ealing and Newham are in the top 10 Covid hotspots in England.
Some 65,0000 people across the country are still catching coronavirus every day.
But there are hopes the country could be past the peak – as officials at Public Health England say 94 per cent of local authority areas have seen a decline in cases in the past seven days.
And some ministers even believe pubs could be open again in March – even though Mr Johnson has refused to give any firm dates for when restrictions could be eased.
Cases today are down 22 per cent compared to Thursday last week – the 10th double-digit drop in the past 11 days.
Elsewhere, two-thirds of people aged 80 and over in northern England have now received their first dose of the Covid vaccine.
The figure is lower in other parts of the country, particularly in London, where just 50 per cent have received a jab.
Matt Hancock today said the UK is vaccinating at a rate of 200 jabs every minute.
The Health Secretary told MPs 4.9million of the most vulnerable have now received at least one dose.
“This virus is a lethal threat to us all and, as we respond through this huge endeavour (to vaccinate), let’s all take comfort in the fact we’re giving 200 vaccinations every minute,” he said.
“In the meantime, everyone must follow the rules to protect the NHS and save lives, and we can do that safe in the knowledge that the tide will turn and that, with science, we will prevail.”
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Mr Hancock told MPs that 63 per cent of care home residents have now been inoculated, and said early indications are that Covid-19 vaccines can deal with some of the newer variants of the virus.
In response to a question from Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth on the South African variant, which may pose a reinfection risk, Mr Hancock said: “Obviously we are vigilant to this and keep this under close review.
“I’m glad to say that the early indications are that the new variant is dealt with by the vaccine just as much as the old variant, but of course we are vigilant to the new variants that we’re seeing overseas.”
