There have been a further 14,879 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 414 deaths recorded in the UK in the last 24 hours, government figures show.

The update brings the total number of coronavirus cases in the UK to 1,674,134 – and takes the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test to 60,113.

On Wednesday, 16,170 cases and 648 deaths were recorded.

Live COVID updates as UK prepares for vaccine rollout

Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where COVID-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show that there have now been 76,000 deaths overall involving COVID-19 in the UK.

The number of coronavirus patients who have died in hospitals in England stands at 41,605, after another 295 were reported by NHS England on Thursday.

The newly-recorded deaths happened between 24 October and 2 December, with most on or after 30 November.

Patients were aged between 39 and 99. All except 11 – aged between 53 and 91 – had known underlying conditions.

New statistics from the Test and Trace scheme have also been released, showing that positive coronavirus cases have dropped by 28% in England.

Between 19 and 25 November, 110,620 people tested positive for COVID-19 in England – a sizeable decrease on the previous week, reversing a trend that saw cases rise steeply at the end of August.

The numbers suggest England’s month-long lockdown in November had a significant impact on the spread of COVID, with the government now hoping that its tougher tier system will keep the pandemic under control.

The latest figures come as the UK prepares to begin its COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer revealed earlier that the first deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab are likely to arrive on Thursday.

Rollout should begin next week after the UK became the first country in the world to approve the vaccine, which was shown in clinical trials to prevent 95% of COVID cases.

And it works just as well in the elderly, who are most at risk of serious illness from the virus.

Care home residents and staff have been identified as the first people who should get the jab, although the prime minister has warned of “immense logistical challenges” of distribution due to the jab’s cold storage needs.

Source: Read Full Article