Daily death toll of 1,162 is UK’s second-highest

ANOTHER 1,162 Covid deaths were recorded yesterday on the seconddeadliest day of the pandemic.

Cases across the UK increased by 52,618 while the number of daily hospital admissions in England reached a record high of 3,697.

It means deaths have topped 1,000 for two days in a row and yesterday saw the second-highest daily toll since the 1,224 reported on April 24.

A total of 78,508 people have now died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus. Health minister Lord Bethell yesterday told Parliament: ‘I’m afraid infections and hospitalisations will lead to further deaths. We’re running at about nearly 1,000 a day at the moment, and that number is set to increase.’

Department of Health figures show that 400,640 people have tested positive over the past seven days, up 33 per cent on the previous week and the highest ever weekly total.