UK coronavirus death toll rises by 154

The UK coronavirus death toll has risen by 154, bringing the total number of deaths to 43,081.

The latest figures from the Department of Health and Social Care includes Covid-19 deaths that occurred in hospitals, care homes, and the wider community.

The government data does not include all deaths involving coronavirus across the UK. That figure, calculated by the Office for National Statistics, is thought to have passed 54,000.

The latest reported deaths come as health leaders in the country have called for an urgent review to ensure the UK is properly prepared for the "real risk" of a second wave of Covid-19.

Of the latest deaths reported from across the UK, 51 occurred in hospitals in England.

The update from NHS England includes patients who died after testing positive for Covid-19 - or where the virus was the direct or underlying cause of death.

England's coronavirus death toll now stands at 28,435 according to NHS data.

Wednesday was the second day in a row the South West of the country reported no Covid-19 deaths - it was the only region not to record any coronavirus-related fatalities in the latest figures.

Boris Johnson outlined an easing of England's lockdown measures on Tuesday. Credit: PA

Public Health Wales reported a further eight people have died after testing positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of deaths to 1,491.

In Scotland, a total of 2,480 patients have died after testing positive for coronavirus - an increase of four reported deaths from the same point on Tuesday.

The figures are lower than the 4,119 deaths given earlier by the National Records of Scotland as they do not include suspected and probable coronavirus infections.

It comes as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined the next phase in Scotland's easing of lockdown measures.

One further death was reported by health authorities in Northern Ireland, bringing the total death toll there to 547.

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