UK records 33 Covid deaths as ‘possible’ blood clot link discovered in another vaccine

The UK has recorded 33 more Covid-19 deaths with 2,524 people tested positive in the past 24 hours.

Yesterday the country recorded just four deaths as cases continued to fall with weekend reporting lags usually behind the very low number.

The official UK death toll now stands at a total of 127,307.

Last Thursday, 24 deaths were reported by Public Health England with slightly fewer new cases than today.

Over the last week there have been 184 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. This shows a decrease of 23.7 per cent compared to the week before.

Government data up to April 19 shows that of the 43,457,910 jabs given in the UK so far, 33,032,120 were first doses – a rise of 99,672 on the previous day.

Some 10,425,790 were second doses, an increase of 273,751.

It came as the European medicines regulator has found a “possible link” between Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine and very rare blood clots.

The Janssen vaccine is yet to be approved for use in the UK.

The safety committee of the European Medicines Agency concluded that unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the vaccine.

But the EMA concluded the overall benefits of the vaccine “outweigh the risks of side effects”.

Officials reviewed eight cases reported in the United States, where more than seven million people have received the jab.

They said these cases were “were very similar to the cases that occurred with the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca”.