Covid: UK records more than 31,000 new coronavirus cases and 85 more deaths

There have been a further 31,117 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the UK as of Thursday, the second day in a row in which cases have increased.

It follows a week of steadily declining numbers, with cases halving in eight days.

Additionally, a further 85 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the UK total to 129,515, as of 9am on Thursday.

It comes as new figures show more than 685,000 people were told to self-isolate by the NHS Covid app in the week to July 21 - a record number for the 'pingdemic'.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 154,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

England

67 of the UK's daily coronavirus deaths were recorded in England, which brings the country's death toll to 113,807.

Meanwhile, a further 27,524 people tested positive for Covid-19 in England. The total number of cases since the beginning of the outbreak is now 5,064,671.

Listen to the ITV News coronavirus podcast

Scotland

Scotland has recorded 13 deaths and 1,398 new cases in the past 24 hours, latest Scottish government figures show.

The number of people who have died having first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days is now 7,924. Meanwhile, the total number of cases in Scotland since the beginning of the outbreak is 342,704. Wales

Public Health Wales has reported 724 new cases, bringing the total number of cases in the region to 240,019. Three new deaths have been reported, which means the death roll is now 5,606.

Northern Ireland

Two more deaths have been reported in Northern Ireland, while a further 1,471 people have tested positive for coronavirus. This brings the death toll in the nation to 2,178 and the total number of cases to 154,167.