- Health department officials recorded 223 deaths today, up 23.2 percent from last Tuesday’s figure of 181
- Cases also increased, 43,738 new infections registered, an increase of 13.5 percent over 38,520 recorded last week
- And the number of people hospitalized rose to 921 on Friday, the latest date data is available for
Britain’s Covid crisis continues to expand, with officials reporting a record seven-month high in deaths today, as data shows an even more parsimonious version of the shutdown may be in the offing.
Health department bosses posted 223 laboratory-confirmed fatalities, a 23.2 percent increase from last Tuesday’s figure (181). This was the highest number of victims since March 9, when 231 people died of the virus.
Deaths are recorded as someone who has passed away within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test and the totals are usually higher on Tuesdays due to gaps over the weekend.
Cases also rose, with 43,738 new infections recorded – 13.5 percent from the previous week’s 38,520.
And the number of people admitted to hospital rose to 921 on Friday, the latest date data is available. This was an increase of 20.2 percent over the previous week.
The disturbing figures come as experts warned that a subtype of the Covid delta strain may be more contagious than its ancestor, behind data that showed the proportion of cases linked to the strain doubled in a month .
AY.4.2, as it is currently known to scientists, made up about 10 per cent of all infections in England in the fortnight ending 9 October. Virus-trackers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, which sequences thousands of Covid samples every week, say the spread was only four per cent in mid-September.
No10 said today that it is keeping a ‘very close eye’ on AY.4.2, but stressed that there is ‘no evidence’ that it spreads easily, despite experts saying it is better than Delta 15 percent more transmittable. Boris Johnson’s official spokesman also warned the government “will not hesitate to take action if necessary”.
SAGE fears that by the end of the year there will be a fourth wave that could cripple the NHS. The minister is overseeing the rollout of booster jabs for over 50s, healthcare workers and the immunosuppressed to protect the health service as much as possible, and as part of its ‘Plan B’, No. 10 will be given masks and WFH Are stopping the guidance from restarting.
But experts warn that top-up jabs are being phased out too slowly, with 5 million vulnerable adults yet to be eligible for a third dose.
Influential government advisor Professor Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, stressed that it is ‘important we accelerate’ the booster drive to give ourselves the best chance of avoiding rolling back restrictions.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned that there is ‘enormous pressure’ on the NHS in England.
In today’s other Covid developments:
- Official data shows that nearly 5 million vulnerable adults do not yet have their own Covid booster vaccine;
- ‘Professor lockdown’ Neil Ferguson says ‘important we accelerate’ booster drive with growing fears ‘challenging’ winter may include return of face masks and work from home guidance;
- Professor Ferguson also called for the return of face masks and for teenagers to get two Covid vaccines;
- The head of the NHS said the health service had never been overwhelmed by Covid during the height of the pandemic;
- Amanda Pritchard also warned lawmakers that the pressure on healthcare could result in thousands more hospital treatment cancellations;
- His comments were echoed by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who told MPs there is ‘enormous pressure’ on healthcare in England.
The government said the death toll today stands at 138,852 in the UK.
Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 164,000 deaths have now been recorded in the UK, where Covid was mentioned on death certificates.
The rise in cases is partly attributed to the new variant, which academics estimate may be 15 percent more transmissible than the original Delta, which increasingly took effect in the UK in the spring before flying around the world. happened.
It has been detected in almost every part of the country, statistics show, and it is believed to be behind nearly 60 percent of positive tests sampled in Adoor, West Sussex.
No10 said today that it is keeping a ‘very close eye’ on AY.4.2, but stressed that there is ‘no evidence’ that it spreads easily. Boris Johnson’s…
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