Covid: Total deaths in UK reach more than 66,000 as further 532 people die following a positive coronavirus test
A further 532 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Thursday, according to Government figures.
It brings the total number of coronavirus deaths in the UK to 66,052.
However, separate figures by UK statistics agencies where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate together with additional data, suggest that there have now been 82,000 deaths linked to coronavirus.
As of 9am on Thursday, there have been a further 35,383 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, the Government said.
This includes the 11,000 positive cases from Wales that were not recorded in official figures between December 9 and 15 due to maintenance work on Public Health Wales’ computer systems at the end of last week.
It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 1,948,660.
England
A further 340 people who tested positive for coronavirus died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 45,466, NHS England said on Thursday.
Patients were aged between 46 and 101. All except eight, aged between 66 and 96, had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between November 2 and December 16.
Twenty other deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
There were 22,401 new lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in England, according to Government data.
Northern Ireland
There were 12 newly reported deaths in Northern Ireland bringing the total to 1, 154.
There were 656 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Northern Ireland as of Thursday.
Scotland
In Scotland, there were 30 further deaths reported of people that tested positive with Covid-19. This brings the total deaths in Scotland to 4,203.
Out of 1,012 people in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19, 50 of those were in intensive care on Wednesday, Public Health Scotland said.
There were 858 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Scotland as of Thursday.
Wales
In Wales, there were 52 newly reported Covid deaths bringing the total to 2, 973.
There were 530 new cases of coronavirus in Wales as of Thursday, not including the 11,000 that were not previously recorded.