Covid: UK records highest daily rise in deaths since pandemic began
The UK has recorded its highest daily increase in Covid-19 deaths since the pandemic began as a further 1,564 people have died within 28 days of developing the virus.
The latest data from the Department of Health confirmed the UK coronavirus death toll has risen to 84,767.
The grim figures come as Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday the NHS will launch a round-the-clock vaccination service as soon as possible.
Addressing MPs during Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said the process of protecting people from coronavirus is already going "exceptionally fast" but "at the moment the limit is on supply" of the vaccine.
"We will be going to 24/7 as soon as we can," he said.
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show that more than 99,000 deaths involving coronavirus have now occurred in the UK.
It comes as a further 47,525 people have tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the UK to 3,211,576.
Pressures continue to mount on Mr Johnson to enforce tougher restrictions as the number of cases and deaths continue to rise.
Boris Johnson has refused to rule out tightening rules under England's lockdown, as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced lockdown measures were being ramped up in Scotland.
In Scotland, click-and-collect services and drinking alcohol outside in some areas will be banned as part of the country's tightening of lockdown Covid-19 measures.
Ms Sturgeon has said only retailers selling essentials, such as clothing, baby equipment and books, will be able to offer collection services across the country.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it "obvious" that England's coronavirus restrictions will soon be tightened but the PM suggested he was waiting to see if the current rules would work.
Here's the breakdown of Covid-19 daily statistics from the four nations:
England
A further 1,012 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 57,828, NHS England said on Wednesday.
Patients were aged between 39 and 102. All except 46, aged between 39 and 98, had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between May 8 and January 12, with the majority being on or after January 6.
There were 54 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
Scotland
Scotland has recorded 79 deaths of coronavirus patients and 1,949 new cases in the past 24 hours, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
The death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – is now 5,102.
Speaking at the start of First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood, she said the daily test positivity rate is 10.2%, down from 12% on Tuesday, when 1,875 positive cases were recorded.
A total of 155,372 people have tested positive in Scotland since the start of the pandemic.
There are 1,794 people in hospital confirmed to have Covid-19, up 77 in 24 hours.
Of these patients, 134 are in intensive care, a rise of one in the same period.
Wales
There have been a further 1,533 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 174,412.
Public Health Wales reported another 66 deaths, taking the total in Wales since the start of the pandemic to 4,063.
Northern Ireland
Nineteen people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died in Northern Ireland, according to the latest figures.
The Department of Health recorded the 19 deaths in the last 24 hour period. The death toll recorded by the department stands at 1,517.
A further 1,145 people in Northern Ireland have tested positive for the virus.
The hospitals are operating at 99% bed occupancy, with 869 Covid inpatients, 56 of those are being treating in ICU. This represents a 15.4% rise in the number of inpatients from Tuesday.