UK Covid cases rise by 7,143 - highest figure since outbreak began
The UK has recorded a further 7,143 coronavirus cases - the highest daily figure since the outbreak began.
It takes the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK to 446,156.
Experts have warned the daily record figure could be misleading as it is unclear how many people were infected during the first wave due to a lack of testing capacity in the community at the time.
The government also confirmed a further 71 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for the disease as of 9am on Tuesday.
This brings the total number of deaths in the UK to 42,072.
Government figures show the UK’s current testing capacity to be 287,690 - but only 198,402 tests were processed in the same 24 hour period.
Boris Johnson has promised to increase testing capacity to 500,000 by the end of October in a bid to suppress the spread of coronavirus.
The prime minister had also pledged to turn around coronavirus tests in 24 hours so that people were made aware of their results faster, so that swifter action could be taken when it came to tracking people who had been in contact with the virus.
Data also shows there is currently 2,049 patients in hospital with coronavirus in the UK.
At the peak of the virus, there was 17,172 people admitted in hospital with Covid-19 on April 12.
Breakdown of Covid figures from across the nations
England
A further 44 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 29,962, NHS England said on Tuesday.
Patients were aged between 47 and 99 and all had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between September 23 and September 28.
Three other deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
Wales
There have been a further 366 cases of Covid-19 in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 23,597.
Public Health Wales said three further deaths had been reported, with the total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic increasing to 1,615.
Scotland
First minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed there were 806 new cases in Scotland - the highest number ever.
There were no new deaths recorded. The number of deaths of patients who tested positive remains at 2,512.
Northern Ireland
A further 320 cases of coronavirus were identified in Northern Ireland, the highest daily total.
No deaths linked to the virus have been reported, with the figure still at 578.