CASES FEAR
UK Covid cases rise by 65% in a week with 5,341 more infections with fears June 21 final freedom will be delayed
COVID cases in the UK have risen by 65 per cent in a week with 5,341 infections reported today amid fears "Freedom Day" could be delayed.
The latest number of cases brings the total number of infections since the pandemic began to 4,516,892.
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A further four deaths have also been reported with the total now at 127,840.
Today's cases are up from last Saturday when 3,240 new infections were recorded.
But it is lower than yesterday's rise of 5,765 cases and 13 Covid deaths.
The figures also show a total of 67,994,584 vaccinations have been adminstered.
Of these, 40,333,231 people have received a first dose and 27,661,353 are doubly protected.
It comes as fears continue to grow over lockdown lifting on June 21 due to the Indian variant rampaging through the UK.
Matt Hancock revealed today Boris Johnson will examine Covid stats this week to help him make a decision.
The Health Secretary said it was "too early" to determine whether the Government would lift all coronavirus restrictions later this month.
He also admitted the Indian variant had made the decisions behind the June 21 unlocking "more difficult" as he confirmed the mutation is 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent variant.
Asked whether he had seen anything in the data that could delay reopening this month, Mr Hancock told Sky News: "It is too early to make a final decision on that.
"The Prime Minister and I and the team will be looking at all of the data over this week.
"We have said that we will give people enough time ahead of the June 21 date which is pencilled in as the next step - which is to be not before June 21 - and the critical thing is to see whether the four tests we have set have been met.
"That's because the third test, the rollout of the vaccine, is going incredibly well.
"Then, of course, we have to look at the impact of new variants and we have seen a very significant impact of a new variant - the Delta (also known as the Indian) variant - over the last month or so."
"That's in terms of the number of cases, and cases are rising slightly, the number of hospitalisations, which are much more flat.
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The Sun revealed yesterday how a secret plan is being worked on to delay lockdown lifting by two weeks.
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Ministers and officials are working on contingency plans to move “Freedom Day” to next month, as well as retaining distancing and limits on fans in stadiums - potentially plunging the Euros into chaos.
But Brits aged under 30 will be able to book their Covid jabs from next week in another boost in the fight against the disease.
Indian Covid strain 40% more transmissible than other variants as cases soar 70% in a week, Matt Hancock warns
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