UK on brink of 1 million Covid cases as 24,405 more people test positive and 274 die

THE UK is on the brink of passing 1,000,000 coronavirus cases as the country nears a grim milestone.

Positive cases rose by 24,405 today, taking the total to 989,745 – with the increase tomorrow expected to tip infections from the entire pandemic over 1million.

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Dan Charity - The Sun

Cases have risen again today as the virus spreads[/caption]

In the last few weeks both Spain and France have surpassed 1million positive cases, as Europe faces the second wave.

Deaths from the virus in the UK have risen by 274 today, in the latest figures released this afternoon.

This brings the total number of deaths from Covid in the country to 46,229.

There have been a further 1,737 cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 49,571.

Public Health Wales said a further 11 deaths had been reported, with the total rising to 1,859.

Scotland has recorded 28 deaths from coronavirus and 1,281 positive tests in the past 24 hours.

More than 62,000 deaths involving Covid-19 have now occurred in the UK, unofficial new figures show.

GRIM TOTAL

A total of 60,070 deaths have so far been registered where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases, according to the latest reports from the UK’s statistics agencies.

Since these statistics were compiled, a further 1,802 deaths are known to have occurred in England, plus 24 in Scotland, 123 in Wales and 41 in Northern Ireland, according to additional data published on the Government’s coronavirus dashboard.

It comes as more than a dozen new areas in England have been moved into new tiers.

Nottingham is now in Tier 3 plus, under the strictest of all the restrictions.

It has been reported London could go into a Tier 3 lockdown within two weeks unless coronavirus infections drop.

The capital’s R rate has skyrocketed to 2.9, meaning people are on average passing the virus on to three other people, compared to 1.56 nationally.

Researchers from Imperial College London warned: “The epidemic is now increasing most rapidly in the Midlands and South. 

“Patterns of growth rate and the age distribution of cases in the South now are similar to those observed in northern regions during the prior two rounds of this study,” they said. 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s team are said to be expecting extra measures within weeks.