Covid: UK records highest daily increase in deaths since April
The UK has recorded its highest daily increase in deaths from Covid-19 since April as 981 people have died within 28 days of developing coronavirus.
This is the highest daily figure reported since April 24, when 1,010 deaths were reported - though there is likely to be a lag in reporting deaths over the Christmas period.
The Department of Health also confirmed another 50,023 people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 2,432,888.
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show that more than 88,000 deaths involving coronavirus have now occurred in the UK.
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The latest grim statistics come as a total of 44 million people will be under Tier 4 Covid restrictions from 31 December as the government extends the toughest rules to cover more areas in England.
More of the Midlands, the North East, parts of the North West and South West of England will enter the highest coronavirus measures on New Year's Eve, Matt Hancock has announced.
This means three quarters of England will now be in Tier 4, or 78% of the population of England, from December 31.
England
A further 494 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 49,719, NHS England said on Wednesday.
Patients were aged between 30 and 100. All except 20, aged between 36 and 92, had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between November 9 and December 29.
There were 23 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
Wales
There have been a further 2,281 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 146,706.
Public Health Wales reported another 13 deaths, taking the total in Wales since the start of the pandemic to 3,429.
People in Wales will begin receiving the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine from Monday, health minister Vaughan Gething has told the Welsh Parliament.
Mr Gething said more than 30,000 people are estimated to have received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Wales since it was approved earlier in December.
“Today, the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has been given the go-ahead by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and its rollout across Wales and the rest of the UK will start next week, from Monday,” Mr Gething said.
Scotland
Scotland has recorded 43 deaths from coronavirus and 2,045 positive tests in the past 24 hours, the highest daily case figure on record, Scottish Government figures show.
It brings the death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – to 4,510.
The latest statistics show 124,831 people have now tested positive in Scotland, up from 122,786 the previous day.
There are 1,133 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, up 41 in 24 hours and of these patients, 69 are in intensive care.
Northern Ireland
A further six people, who tested positive for coronavirus, in Northern Ireland have died, according to the Department of Health.
This brings the official Covid-19 death toll to 1,311, although that figure is expected to be significantly higher when deaths in all community settings have been accounted for.
There have also been 2,143 new positive cases, out of 5,098 individuals tested.
There are currently 492 people with Covid-19 being treated in hospitals across Northern Ireland – 35 in intensive care and 24 on ventilators.