The UK has recorded a further 1,610 coronavirus deaths – the highest number reported on a single day since the outbreak began.
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show that there have now been 108,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.
Many of the deaths included in Tuesday’s total will have taken place over the past few days, with some occurring more than a week ago, but are only now being reported due to the fact that fewer deaths are formally recorded at weekends.
The Government also said that, as of 9am on Tuesday, there had been a further 33,355 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
READ MORE: Sturgeon accuses UK Government of having a 'hissy fit' over vaccine supply
It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 3,466,849.
Responding to the latest figures, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth tweeted: “Awful. Horrific. Devastating. And it didn’t have to be like this.”
Scotland recorded 71 deaths from coronavirus and 1,165 positive coronavirus tests in the past 24 hours, Scottish Government figures show.
Awful. Horrific. Devastating. And it didn’t have to be like this. https://t.co/ifeieSojsT
— Jonathan Ashworth 😷💙 (@JonAshworth) January 19, 2021
It brings the death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – to 5,376 in Scotland.
Public Health England said the figure was of those who had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, bringing the UK total to 91,470.
READ MORE: Good Morning Britain: Piers Morgan grills Brandon Lewis over UK Covid death rate
Today it was announced that Scotland is to remain in lockdown until at least the middle of February.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “It is for all these reasons that the Cabinet decided this morning to maintain the restrictions which are currently in place.
“That means that the lockdown restrictions – including the strict stay-at-home requirement – will remain in place across mainland Scotland and some island communities until at least the middle of February.”
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