UK sees third-highest daily death toll with new cases at three-week low

[rooster59]

UK sees third-highest daily death toll with new cases at three-week low
By David Milliken

 

A British government health information message is displayed on an electronic advertising screen with a residential building seen behind, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in London, Britain January 14, 2021. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain reported its lowest number of daily new coronavirus infections since the start of the year on Saturday, adding to signs that a national lockdown is slowing the spread of a more infectious variant of the disease.

 

However the effect of the recent surge in cases remains clear in the death toll, which was the third-highest on record. Health experts have warned it has further to rise.

 

Government figures showed the number of people testing positive was 41,346, compared with 55,761 on Friday. It was the lowest daily reading since Dec. 27, when fewer people were getting tested over the festive holiday period.

 

Deaths continue to rise rapidly, however, with another 1,295 reported on Saturday, taking the total number of fatalities recorded within 28 days of a positive test to 88,590.

 

Britain has Europe's highest death toll - though more have died in Italy and Belgium on a per capita basis. Chris Witty, the government's chief medical officer, warned the public on Friday that daily death numbers had not yet peaked.

 

The country has been under a national lockdown since Jan. 5, when schools were closed for most pupils, non-essential businesses were shut to the public, and people were ordered to work from home where possible.

 

In its latest move to control infections, the government has ordered all travellers to Britain from Monday to produce a certificate showing they do not have coronavirus, as well as having to observe a quarantine for 10 days on arrival.

 

Britain is pinning its hopes on a rapid rollout of vaccines to people aged over 70 and other vulnerable groups. Government data showed on Saturday that almost 3.6 million people had received one dose of vaccine, the most in Europe and an increase of 324,000 on the day before.

 

The country is aiming to have given first doses of vaccines to 15 million people in high-risk categories by mid-February.

 

(Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Mike Harrison)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-17

 

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[Neeranam]

7 of my family in Scotland have been positive in the last 2 months, none had symptoms worse than a cold, including 2 90 year olds. 

[stuandjulie]

9 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

7 of my family in Scotland have been positive in the last 2 months, none had symptoms worse than a cold, including 2 90 year olds. 

Would you have been happier if they were in ICU or worse?

[Neeranam]

11 minutes ago, stuandjulie said:

Would you have been happier if they were in ICU or worse?

Sorry, I am missing your point. What exactly do you mean?

[CG1 Blue]

The UK is 27th in the list of countries with the most Covid cases per 100,000 people. Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland are among the countries with higher infection rates than the UK. 

 

For Covid deaths per 100,000 people the UK ranks 7th. Although the UK does count deaths from any cause up to 28 days after a positive test. 

 

https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2020/health/coronavirus-maps-and-cases/

 

I think questions have to be asked about the NHS' ability to treat Covid patients once they enter UK hospitals. It seems you're more likely to die from Covid in a UK hospital than in most other developed nations. Yes the staff work like trojans and deserve praise. But something isn't right. 

 

Also it can't be a coincidence that infection rates across Europe rocketed as we entered winter (as do flu cases every year). During winter we spend less time outdoors, and windows are closed reducing ventilation. No sunshine = lack of vitamin D = weakened immune system. Winter is the elephant in the room. Something that Thailand, Singapore etc don't have to contend with. 

 

Just my thoughts!

 

[Natai Beach]

1 hour ago, NRGF said:

Why is it so difficult for some people to understand these simple facts?

Thankfully for us living in Thailand there are hardly any Thais that carry on with all the loony denial nonsense. 

Covid is simply an infectious virus that spreads through humans not following the guidelines set by medical experts. 

[Neeranam]

15 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

The UK is 27th in the list of countries with the most Covid cases per 100,000 people

What did they do wrong? 

Surprised Thailand is so far ahead of Scotland in a medical issue. For a country of 5 million people, we discovered penicillin, ether gas, hypodermic syringe, typhoid vaccine, the saline drip, discovering staphylococcus, insulin, beta blockers, ECG, Flush toilets, fridges and many others. 

[Natai Beach]

15 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

think questions have to be asked about the NHS' ability to treat Covid patients once they enter UK hospitals. It seems you're more likely to die from Covid in a UK hospital than in most other developed nations. Yes the staff work like trojans and deserve praise. But something isn't right. 

 

 

The government wasn’t providing suitable protection clothing for them, which lead them to spread the virus to thousands more and many of them died.
 

It is almost taboo to criticize the NHS which is a big part of the problem. They were sending positive elderly patients back to elderly care homes and this had deadly consequences while bizarrely the public were outside “clapping” them. 
 

The OP states that Saturday had the lowest infections for the year which is totally misleading. It could have been the highest, it is just the results from a very small percentage of Brits who were actually tested that day which is a good sign, but hardly an accurate number.
 

[faraday]

10 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

What did they do wrong? 

Surprised Thailand is so far ahead of Scotland in a medical issue. For a country of 5 million people, we discovered penicillin, ether gas, hypodermic syringe, typhoid vaccine, the saline drip, discovering staphylococcus, insulin, beta blockers, ECG, Flush toilets, fridges and many others. 

And of course, the Glasgow Coma Scale.

 

 

[Neeranam]

8 minutes ago, faraday said:

And of course, the Glasgow Coma Scale.

 

 

Does that tell the amount of whisky one has drunk?

[cyril sneer]

44 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

During winter we spend less time outdoors

very wise judging by that building in the photo

[Stargeezr]

The UK is an old country with many many people living in small homes. apartments, or flats, townhouses etc, not big spacious houses that only the rich can afford.

 

  The weather is now Winter and cold, so they cannot camp out in a tent like you can in a hot country like Thailand, so they group together whether they are sick or not.

 

  So the virus courses through the household and that is likely one of the many reasons that there are more cases.  Lots of other reasons for more cases, but I doubt that a slack attitude is still the cause of too many cases.  I believe that there are many people in the UK and other high numbered countries that are scared every day and are now trying their best to avoid getting this virus and getting sick. We all need all the luck to get through this pandemic alive. Good Luck

Geezer

    

[onthedarkside]

A COVID denial type post and several replies have been removed.

[welovesundaysatspace]

22 hours ago, Neeranam said:

7 of my family in Scotland have been positive in the last 2 months, none had symptoms worse than a cold, including 2 90 year olds. 

A friend of mine drove a car completely drunk and crashed it into another car. Luckily no one died. 

[billd766]

23 hours ago, Neeranam said:

7 of my family in Scotland have been positive in the last 2 months, none had symptoms worse than a cold, including 2 90 year olds. 

Good for them. They were luckier than these people. Deaths continue to rise rapidly, however, with another 1,295 reported on Saturday.

 

I am concerned indirectly as my ex-wife is 74, and I have several friends who are in their 60s and 70s. I have a loose contact with them through Facebook or mail and they seem OK so far.

[sungod]

21 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

very wise judging by that building in the photo

I think it depicts part of the Soviet Union,

[kingdong]

1 hour ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

A friend of mine drove a car completely drunk and crashed it into another car. Luckily no one died. 

Did he have the corona virus?

[welovesundaysatspace]

12 minutes ago, kingdong said:

Did he have the corona virus?

Why? 

[kingdong]

52 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Why? 

Because the thread is about corona deaths wondered what it had to do wirh a drunk driver.