A further 6,042 people in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours after a series of record breaking daily tolls.

Today’s figures from the Department of Health and Social care bring the official total number of infections since the infection began to 429,277.

Another 34 people have died within 28 days of catching the disease, bringing the UK death toll to 41,971. However fatalities have not been recorded for Scotland today due to a power outage at the National Records of Scotland.

It comes after scientists warned the country’s R rate – measuring the speed at which coronavirus reproduces – is now between 1.2 and 1.5.

This means every 10 carriers will infect between 12 and 15 people on average, with the number of cases across the UK growing by between 4% and 8% per day.

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The Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) has said that the current low numbers of deaths is not a reflection of how Covid-19 is spreading, suggesting fatalities are likely to rise again in the coming weeks.

Another 38 places have been added to the Department of Health’s ‘areas of concern watchlist’ including every single borough of London, bringing the total to 92.

Local restrictions come into force in several towns and cities in Wales and northern England this weekend due a rise of infections, including Blackpool, Stockport, Wigan, Cardiff and Swansea.

With cases in new cases in London doubling over the course of a week, the prospect of further curbs in the capital is looking more likely.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged Boris Johnson to ban household visits in the city in an attempt to bring infections under control.

A 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants applies across the whole of England, Wales and Scotland, while variations of a ‘rule of six’ on social gatherings are in force across Britain and Northern Ireland.

In an address to the nation earlier this week, the Prime Minister said he hoped current restrictions would help prevent a second full-scale national lockdown, which would be a huge blow to businesses across the nation.

Ministers have said they are prepared to do ‘whatever it takes’ to save Christmas from coronavirus restrictions and allow families to meet up.

The Government reportedly aims to deliver around 3 million tests a day, and potentially release a vaccine as early as the beginning of December, according to the Telegraph.

If these measures are not put in place in time, families could be told to self-isolate for two weeks before Christmas to allow them to gather safely in groups larger than six.

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