More than five million have had a second jab

More than five million people have had their second Covid-19 vaccine in the UK.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the figure on Twitter,saying:“We'vereached anothermilestoneinourvaccination programme with over 5 millionpeoplenowhavinghad their second jab.

“I urge everyone to take up their second dose as soon as they are offered it.”

Government data up to April 2 shows that of the 36,631,187 jabs given in the UK sofar,31,425,682werefirstdoses – a rise of 124,415 on the previous day.

Some 5,205,505 were second doses, an increase of 256,870.

Seconddosesofthevaccine are being prioritised in April amid a warning that supplies will fall.

Despite this, the Government has said it is still on course to offer all adults in the UKafirstjabbytheendofJuly.

The vaccine figure comes as NHS England confirmed on Saturday that a further 41 people who had tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 86,392.

Patients were aged between 30 and 98 and all except five, aged between 70 and 93, had known underlying health conditions.

Meanwhile, evidence is growing that the occurrence of a number of rare blood clot eventsamongpeoplewhohave hadtheAstraZenecacoronavirusvaccineis“causallyrelated”, a scientist has said.

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot eventsamongpeopleintheUK who had received the AstraZeneca jab, following similar reports from Germany.