THE number of coronavirus cases in the UK today fell by almost 4,000 – but deaths are at their highest level for three months.

A further 87 people lost their lives to the disease in 24 hours – bringing the overall Covid-19 death toll in the UK to 42,679.

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The grim figure is the highest it has been since June 25 when 99 deaths were reported in 24 hours.

Today's jump in cases of 13,864 is almost 4,000 lower than yesterday when 17,540 new infections were recorded.

Cases have nearly tripled in two weeks – with a total of 575,679 people now testing positive for the killer bug in Britain.

It comes as:

• Making face masks mandatory in offices is 'being considered'
• Rishi Sunak announced a 'new furlough' meaning workers will get two thirds of wages if business is forced to shut
• Vulnerable Brits face months inside under new plans to bring back shielding
• Coronavirus infections doubled in a week, the latest ONS study showed
• Leafy Richmond is London’s new coronavirus hotspot

And it is well over last Thursday's spike, when 6,914 more cases were logged and almost triple the rise a fortnight ago (6,634).

It comes after Public Health England admitted they had missed 15,841 cases from their official stats between September 25 and October 2.

The backlog led to an over-inflated record high of 22,961 additional cases on Sunday.

And the current infection rate is still believed to be smaller than at the peak of the pandemic, when it is likely 100,000 cases were being reported every day through March and April.

In England, there were 56 deaths recorded in hospitals – with the total now at 30,379.

The latest victims were aged between 42 and 98 – with all suffering from underlying health conditions.

Wales today saw two further deaths – bringing the total in the country to 1,646.

In Scotland, six more deaths were recorded – with their total now at 2,544.

There were no new deaths recorded in Northern Ireland.

It comes as a huge study today revealed Northerners are nearly twice as likely to have coronavirus – with one in 100 currently infected with the bug.

This is compared to one in 170 having Covid-19 nationally.

Imperial College London scientists also found the R rate has fallen to 1.16 nationally.

The figure – which represents how many other individuals each case goes on to infect – was 1.39 in early September.

But the Yorkshire, the West Mids and the North West are suffering – with all of their R rates between 1.27 and 1.37.

In contrast, it is below one in London – meaning the number of cases are currently falling in the capital.

But new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealshow cases in England have more than doubled in a week with 17,200 people a day being infected.

This is up from the previous week where 8,400 cases were recorded.

The figures, which don't include those in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings, also reveal infections in teenagers and younger adults are also rising.

Meanwhile, workers in lockdown areas where business have been forced to close will receive two-thirds of their wages in a new furlough-style scheme.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak set out measures of his new economic package today in a hint the Government will force businesses – including pubs – to shut.

Ministers are expected to outline a three-tier local lockdown system on Monday.

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