DEATH SPIKE
Daily UK Covid deaths at highest for more than five months as 367 people die with 22,885 more cases
BRITAIN has suffered its highest daily Covid death toll for more than five months today - after 367 more people lost their lives to the virus.
Another 22,885 people have also tested positive for coronavirus overnight as the country battles a second spike.
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Today's deaths figure means, on average, 200 coronavirus deaths have been reported every day in the UK over the last week.
However, despite the soaring death toll, the stats suggest the number of new cases may now be slowing.
Last Tuesday, 241 deaths and 21,331 cases were recorded - meaning the number of new cases is seven per cent higher than seven days ago.
The death toll on Mondays is usually lower than expected because of a recording lag at the weekend, meaning the count on Tuesday is always slightly above normal.
Last week, the UK recorded its biggest ever infection rise of 26,688 on Wednesday.
Figures released today show a further 207 people have died in hospitals in England.
Patients were between 36 and 101, and all but six, who were aged 60 to 93, had known underlying health conditions.
Deaths were up across all regions, with 77 people losing their lives to the virus in the north-west, 44 in the north-east and Yorkshire, 26 in the Midlands, 17 in London and the east, and 13 in both the south-east and south-west.
In Scotland, where a new five-stage lockdown plan has been revealed, 1,327 new cases were recorded, and 25 more people died.
And in Wales, which is on the fourth full day of a national firebreak lockdown, 1,207 people have tested positive overnight - and seven more have died with the virus.
It comes as:
- Video shows the moment pupils crowded into a school corridor – many without masks – after two tested positive for Covid-19
- Oxford's coronavirus vaccine produces a "strong immune response" in elderly participants, a study has found
- Broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire has apologised after saying she'd break corona rules to spend Christmas with family
- The coronavirus R rate has dropped - but every area of the UK is still above one
The number of Brit dying from Covid-19 reached a four-month high last week after rising by more than 50 per cent in seven days.
Office for National Statistics figures showed 761 Britons died with the disease in the week ending October 16, the most recent recording period, up from 474 the week before.
During the peak of the pandemic, more than 9,400 patients were succumbing to the illness every week.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, today warned the rising death toll is likely to "continue for some time".
Infected patients may take weeks to fall severely ill - and cases have been rising in previous weeks.
RISING DEATH TOLL 'MAY CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME'
Elsewhere, leaders in West Yorkshire are in talks with the Government over whether it'll soon go into a strict new tier three lockdown.
So far Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, Lancashire, Liverpool City region, Warrington, Nottingham and parts of Nottinghamshire have all been pushed into the highest level of Covid restrictions.
It means people are banned from mixing between households in most outdoor settings.
Some two million people live in the region.
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As strict as rules are for around 50 per cent of Brits, Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock yesterday refused to deny Britain could face an extra tier four of coronavirus restrictions.
It was reported over the weekend that an extra tier on top of the current tier three measures may be introduced if the new rules fail to bring down infections enough.
When asked about the possibility of a further tier, the PM said: "We are working at the moment through the tier three strategy."
Meanwhile, millions of Brits have been warned they're still at risk of catching coronavirus - even if they've already had it.
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