More than 88,000 more Brits catch Covid while deaths increase by 303

The UK has reported 88,171 further Covid cases and 303 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

These figures, from the last 24-hour reporting period, bring overall infections during the pandemic to 17,607,832 and the total number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test to 157,730.

In a recent change, government data now includes reinfections in England and Northern Ireland that are more than 90 days after a previous positive test.

Figures now also cover deaths in England following possible reinfections of Covid-19. The government said this is the reason for relatively high daily totals and a jump in the cumulative total of deaths.

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England 258 of the new Covid-related deaths were in England, bringing the nation's death toll to 137,373. Meanwhile, 77,189 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases to 15,106,124. Northern Ireland In Northern Ireland, three further deaths were reported in the last 24-hour reporting period, which means the death toll is now 3,123. Cases in the nation increased by 4,203 and the total number of positive tests since the start of the pandemic is now 556,449. Wales There have been a further 2,424 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 784,811. Public Health Wales reported 11 further deaths. The total in the country since the start of the pandemic is now 6,844. Scotland Scotland recorded 31 further deaths of coronavirus patients, bringing the nation's overall death toll to 10,390.

Meanwhile, cases in the nation increased by 4,355 to 1,160,448.