ANOTHER 21,242 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours – a drop of 5,000 on yesterday's highest-ever daily total.

Despite that, cases have risen 12 per cent week-on-week – with Wednesday seeing 26,688 positive tests.

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And another 189 people have lost their lives to the virus as the UK's grim total reached 44,347.

The figures come as Boris Johnson today vowed "we will win this fight" – saying the "collective actions" of the nation were working.

At a press conference this afternoon the PM said the R rate was around half of what it would be if there were no rules and restrictions put on the country.

According to Scottish health authorities, 1,712 new infections were recorded in the past 24 hours with another 17 deaths.

In Wales, another 1,134 cases were today recorded along with seven fatalities.

Meanwhile Northern Ireland reported five deaths today, with 1,042 new cases.

Yesterday, the UK saw the biggest ever rise in daily coronavirus cases, with 26,688 people testing positive in the past 24 hours.

It comes as…

• Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry and Slough will move into the Tier 2 high' coronavirus level at one minute past midnight on Saturday
• Hospitals in Liverpool are now treating more coronavirus patients than they were at the peak of the first wave
• Ethnic minorities were more likely to die from the virus due to where they work, a report found
• Rish Sunak announced new furlough payments to save pubs and restaurants

Sir Patrick Vallance today revealed fears an estimated 90,000 Brits are getting infected with Covid every day.

Public Health England today revealed hospitalisations due to COVID-19 have continued to rise right across the country, with particular increases in the North East and North West.

Worryingly, significant rises in hospital admissions in the 75 to 84 and 85+ age groups were revealed in the report.

It comes after Slough and Coventry reported a huge rise in cases – seeing them put into Tier 2 restrictions before the weekend.

Latest figures show that Slough had an increase of 53 infections yesterday, with a total of 1,522 cases overall.

The town has the highest number of Covid cases in Berkshire, with Reading second at 1,335 infections.

Tan Dhesi, Labour MP for Slough, said the “alarming” rise meant there was no other choice but to lock down.

In Coventry, the rate has risen to 174 cases per 100,000 people.

The town recorded 127 new Covid cases yesterday, a notable spike rom the 94 infections added to figures the day before.

They now join London, Essex, Leeds, Bolton and many others on the list of Tier 2 lockdowns.

But in positive news in the fight against coronavirus, a new study has found patients admitted to hospital with the coronavirus are "much less likely to die now than in the early days of the pandemic".

Experts found that over the course of the pandemic, doctors have become better at averting deaths of people they are treating with Covid-19.

Researchers at New York University found that there was a big drop in mortality rates among hospital cases.

This was seen across all age groups and included people with underlying health issues – which is a factor when it comes to the severity of the coronavirus and survival rates.

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