UK records highest daily Covid death toll in months
The UK has recorded its highest daily coronavirus death toll since April 26, after a further 598 people were reported to have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.
The UK total now stands at 52,745, according to the latest government figures.
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 68,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.
The government said that, as of 9am on Tuesday, there had been a further 20,051 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 1,410,732.
England
A further 330 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 36,842, NHS England said on Tuesday.Patients were aged between 27 and 99. All except 11, aged between 30 and 93, had known underlying health conditions.The deaths were between October 29 and November 16, with the majority being on or after November 13.Fourteen other deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
Scotland
The total number of deaths from Covid-19 in Scotland will pass 5,000 this week, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Updating MSPs on the protection levels in local authorities on Tuesday, the first minister said that National Records of Scotland will release a weekly report on deaths on Wednesday, which could confirm the milestone.
“That is a sombre and distressing milestone. It is important we acknowledge it and remember every individual whose life has been lost to this virus," Ms Sturgeon said.
“Those figures remind us of the harm and heartbreak that this virus causes if allowed to spread. “
Wales
There have been a further 705 cases of coronavirus in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 67,811.
Public Health Wales reported another 34 deaths, taking the total in Wales since the start of the pandemic to 2,243.
Northern Ireland
Nine more people who tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland have died, according to the Department of Health – 7 of them in the last 24-hour reporting period.
It brings the official death toll as recorded by the Department to 878, although that figure is expected to increase significantly when deaths in all community settings are accounted for.