UK Covid deaths rise by another 1,239 with 28,680 new cases after lockdown extended
COVID deaths in the UK today rose by 1,239 with 28,680 new cases after lockdown was extended.
The latest victims means a total of 103,126 people have now lost their lives to the disease in Britain since the pandemic began.
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But today's total is lower than last Thursday, when 1,290 deaths were reported.
A further 28,680 new infections have also been recorded – bringing the total number of cases to 3,743,734.
Cases have slowly started to fall after a third lockdown was slapped on the UK at the start of the year.
It comes as…
- The EU has ordered a check on AstraZeneca vaccine factory to probe delays as a feud with the drug giant heats up
- A Covid denier died from the virus after refusing to wear mask or follow social distancing rules
- Two men have been fined £10k for organising a huge snowball fight in Leeds
- A checker can tell if your symptoms are from the original Covid strain or the deadlier mutant virus
But by comparison, daily deaths are reaching their highest-ever totals – with 1,820 recorded last Wednesday on Britain's deadliest day of the pandemic so far.
Official government figures reveal 24,541 deaths have been recorded in the past three weeks.
This is compared to the 36,700 people who died in the first wave of the pandemic between March 23 when lockdown was imposed until the end of May.
As a result, Brits have been told lockdown will now last until March 8.
Today's figures also show 7.45million people in the UK have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
In England today, 907 more deaths were reported in hospital – bringing the total number to 69,801.
The latest victims were aged between 25 and 104 with all but 33 having known underlying health conditions.
Wales has suffered a further 59 deaths, with their total now at 4,666.
In Scotland, a further 82 deaths were reported bringing the total number to 5,970.
Northern Ireland reported 13 new deaths – with their total now at 1,792.
It comes as a new Office for National Statistics report revealed the most common signs of mutant Covid strain aren't the same as the original variant.
People suffering with the Kent mutation, which first emerged in September 2020, are more likely to get a cough, sore throat, tiredness and muscle pain, according to the ONS.
This differs from the three official symptoms listed by the NHS for the original strain, which are a cough, fever and loss of taste or sense of smell.
The new variant spreading across the UK is more transmissible than previous mutations of the virus, and scientists have said there is some data to suggest it may also be more deadly.
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