UK coronavirus cases set new daily record, prompting 'extreme concern'

[webfact]

UK coronavirus cases set new daily record, prompting 'extreme concern'

By David Milliken

 

People walk past a roadside public health information sign, amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in London, Britain, December 29, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's government reported 53,135 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest number since mass testing started in mid-2020 and up sharply from the previous record of 41,385 set on Monday.

 

The number of new deaths recorded within 28 days of a positive COVID test also rose to 414 from Monday's 357, taking the total since the start of the pandemic to 71,567.

 

Britain vies with Italy for Europe's highest death toll from the disease and is now battling a new variant of COVID which scientists say can spread more rapidly.

 

"We are continuing to see unprecedented levels of COVID-19 infection across the UK, which is of extreme concern particularly as our hospitals are at their most vulnerable," said Susan Hopkins, a senior medical advisor to Public Health England.

 

Hopkins added that some of the daily rise in cases reflected reporting delays due to Christmas, but the figures were "largely a reflection of a real increase".

 

Health minister Matt Hancock will give an update on regional coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday.

 

Earlier on Tuesday a leading epidemiologist who advises the government, Andrew Hayward, warned that Britain was heading for "catastrophe" over the coming weeks if it did not take tougher action against the more infectious variant of the disease.

 

Just under half of England's population, centred around London and neighbouring regions, is currently under the tightest form of COVID restriction. Under these rules non-essential shops and most other businesses are closed to the public, and almost all face-to-face socialising is prohibited.

 

However in most of Britain rules were relaxed to allow families to meet on Christmas Day, which many health officials said risked causing a spike in COVID infections.

 

(Reporting by David Milliken, Editing by Paul Sandle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-30

 

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[RichardColeman]

Whilst not wishing to play down the number of dead, I think it should be made clear that the NHS have that said out of the 2,400,000 people that have caught the virus, and the 70,000+ that died only 388 under 60 with no health issues have actually died - which is 300%+ less than the number of people dying on the roads each year.

 

Quite clear to me, we should be concentrating on targeting the the problems areas of the old, the at risk and infirm than locking down everything.

 

Course the idiots walking around with a daft card around their necks saying I do not need a mask as I have other health issues does not help - still I guess darwinism is helping them off the planet.

 

 

[bodga]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

centred around London

Theres  your  main problem   area, London attracts  many nationalities.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, fruitman said:

That's not strange if you use a 'test' which isn't meant to be used as a test....it's still the flue and they better warn you to eat zinc and get plenty of vitamin D ...

Also covid19 isn't even an official virus, that's scientific proved since the beginning.

Fruitman, is a great username.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, bodga said:

Theres  your  main problem   area, London attracts  many nationalities.

It’s got nothing to do with nationalities - London has a high population density and, you might know this, over crowded mass transport systems.

[Rimmer]

Some conspiracy troll posts have been removed

[welovesundaysatspace]

3 hours ago, hydraides said:

a test that has an alarming false positive rate.

Utter nonsense. Get your facts right. Covid-19 PCR have incredibly high sensitivity and specificity rates. 
 

3 hours ago, hydraides said:

 

I also find it extremely hard to believe these figures anyway.

 (...) I'm not saying its impossible, but it would mean an endless que of cars and people being tested at testing sites in every city

 

So you’re sowing some doubts for more conspiracy theories. 

 

[foreverlomsak]

5 hours ago, bodga said:

Theres  your  main problem   area, London attracts  many nationalities.

and many of them are no "speaky da englesh"

[4MyEgo]

[from the home of CC]

what did they expect when they opened the bars and schools? if this was a novel I wouldn't believe the plot lines..