UK coronavirus deaths rise by 81 with 15,166 new cases reported as tougher Northern lockdown looms
THE coronavirus death toll in the UK rose by 81 yesterday – with 15,166 new cases being reported as tougher lockdown looms for the North of England.
Cases have nearly tripled in two weeks – with a total of 590, 844 people now having tested positive for the killer bug in Britain.
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A further 81 people have now lost their lives to the disease – bringing the total number to 42,760.
Yesterday’s number is compared to yesterday’s jump of 87 – the highest the figures have been since June 25.
The figures were published at 10pm last night – which is later than the usual time of between 4pm and 5pm.
Saturday’s rise in cases marks a rise of 1,302 cases on Friday’s figures, when 87 fatalities were reported.
It comes after NHS England reported 60 further deaths in English hospitals, bringing the total to 30,349.
Patients were aged between 41 and 93 years old – and all but five had underlying health conditions.
Wales, meanwhile, reported 627 further infections and another 21 deaths, bringing the total in the country to 1,667.
Public Health Wales said that the sharp increase was the result of a delay in adding 17 fatalities from the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board between October 3-7.
This area covers Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
HOSPITALISATIONS UP
Worrying figures also show that the recent spike in cases has resulted in increased hospitalisations.
Separate figures show there were 3,225 Covid-19 patients in hospital in England as of Saturday, up from 2,194 a week ago.
Meanwhile, 396 Covid-19 hospital patients were in ventilation beds, up from 307 a week ago.
A total of 513 patients with confirmed Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals in England on Thursday, compared with 386 a week earlier.
It comes as:
- Boris Johnson is poised to close pubs and restaurants in the North from Monday
- The PM will reveal a new three-tier system for local lockdown restrictions
- Hundreds of anti-face mask protesters flooded Downing Street calling for an end to lockdown
- Kids will be banned from singing Happy Birthday over fears it will spread Covid
- A top doc has warned face masks should be made compulsory outdoors and in offices
Yesterday’s cases dropped by almost 4,000 from the day before to 13,864.
There is usually a lag in the Department of Health figures reported over the weekend.
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.
It comes amid fears pubs and restaurants in the North of England could be closed as part of Boris Johnson’s three-tier lockdown plan.
The PM is poised to order pubs and restaurants to shut in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
It means ten million Northerners could be back under a tougher lockdown as they fall into Tier 3 of the plans.
Boris will announce the dramatic new restrictions on Monday in the House of Commons.
He is hoping the three-tier system will simplify the current patchwork of measures.
Areas with a low rate of infection will be placed in ‘Tier 1’ – where only national restrictions such as the Rule of Six and the 10pm curfew on hospitality venues will apply.
Regions in ‘Tier Two’ will see a ban on home visits and indoor socialising with other households.
And ‘Tier Three’ will see the most serious measures – including a total closure of the hospitality sector and a ban on overnight stays outside the home.
But Northern leaders begged Boris not to plough ahead with the plans, saying the restrictions are “beginning to work”.
Scotland has already ordered pubs and restaurants in the central belt for 16 days after a steep rise in cases.
Elsewhere in the country, pubs can only remain open until 6pm indoors but can’t serve alcohol.
But they are able to sell booze outdoors until 10pm.
While in North Wales, new coronavirus restrictions are being introduced in Bangor following a sharp rise in cases, the Welsh Government has announced.
From 6pm on Saturday, people will not be allowed to enter or leave the area without a “reasonable excuse” and can only meet people they do not live with outdoors, it said.