Covid: Death toll rises by 181 as further 6,753 cases confirmed

A further 181 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19, according to the latest UK government figures.

It bring the total death toll - of those who died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus - to 125,168.

Under a different measure, factoring in all fatalities where Covid was mentioned on the death certificate, the UK’s statistics agencies place the death toll close to 145,000.

The Department of Health also confirmed a further 6,753 lab-confirmed cases of the virus had been recorded - bringing the total to 4,241,677.


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England

A further 159 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 84,935, NHS England said on Thursday.

Patients were aged between 35 and 99 and all except 11, aged between 64 and 91, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between December 11 and March 10, with the majority being on or after March 5.

There were 40 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.

Secondary school students are required to complete three Covid tests before being allowed back into the classroom.

Wales

There have been a further 195 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 205,788.

Public Health Wales reported 12 further deaths, taking the total in the country since the start of the pandemic to 5,424.

Scotland

A total of 22 new deaths were reported on Thursday, among people who tested positive for Covid.

The number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland has increased by 591 in the last 24 hours.

Northern Ireland

Nine more people who tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland have died, according to the Department of Health – six of them in the last 24-hour reporting period.