UK records biggest surge in Covid cases in four months as death toll rises by 10

No new deaths have been reported in Wales and Scotland

The number of coronavirus cases in the UK has soared to four-month high after 1,940 new infections were recorded.

The UK last recorded figures that high on May 29, when 1,992 cases were recorded while there were much stricter lockdown restrictions in place.

It comes after the cases topped 1,700 on Thursday - the first time since June.

Official figures show the overall number of confirmed cases recorded in the UK has now reached 342,351 as of 9am on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Government said 41,537 people had died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Friday, an increase of 10 on the day before.

Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have now been 57,300 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

Medical staff wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) at the back of an ambulance outside Lewisham hospital
REUTERS

But the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also said that evidence suggests the rate of new infections in private households in England “remains unchanged”.

An average of 2,000 people per day were estimated to be newly infected with Covid-19 between August 19 and 25. This is similar to previous weeks.

The ONS also said there was some evidence of regional differences in the percentage of people testing positive for antibodies to Covid-19.

In London, an estimated 11.0 per cent of people have tested positive for antibodies – the highest for any region in England.

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The lowest regional estimate was 3.5 per cent for south-west England.

The estimates, which the ONS has published for the first time, refer to people in private households and are subject to revision.

The official Government Covid-19 figures differ from those released separately by devolved authorities.

NHS England said on Friday that a further 11 people have died in hospitals in England after contracting coronavirus.

Three deaths have been reported in the north west, three in the north east and Yorkshire, and three in the Midlands.

One death was reported in London, and one in the south east.

No new deaths have been reported in Wales. The death toll remains at 1,596.

A further 51 coronavirus cases have been confirmed, bringing the total to 18,206.

Meanwhile, no new deaths have been reported in Scotland, while a further 159 cases have been confirmed in the last 24 hours.

The death toll remains at 2,496, while the total number of infections now stands at 21,048.

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In Northern Ireland, one further death has been reported, bringing the total to 564.

Another 61 people have tested positive for Covid-19, the Department of Health said.

Some 439 new cases of the virus have been detected in the last seven days, bringing the total in the region to 7,503.

The Department of Health will publish the official daily death toll later, which includes deaths in all settings, including care homes.

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