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

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Saturday reported its lowest number of new daily coronavirus infections since the start of the year, 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 spike in cases remains clear on the death toll, which was the third highest on record. Health experts have warned that it has to rise further.

Government figures showed the number of people testing positive was 41,346, up from 55,761 on Friday. It was the lowest daily reading since December 27, when fewer people were tested during the holiday season.

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

Britain has the highest death toll in Europe – although more have died in Italy and Belgium per capita. Chris Witty, the government’s chief medical officer, warned the public on Friday that the number of daily deaths had not yet peaked.

The country has been under a nationwide lockdown since January 5, when schools were closed for most students, non-essential businesses were closed to the public, and people were ordered to work from home when possible.

In its latest initiative to control infections, the government has ordered all travelers to Britain from Monday to produce a certificate stating that they do not have coronavirus, as well as being required to observe a 10-day quarantine upon their arrival.

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

The country wants to have administered the first doses of vaccines to 15 million people in high-risk categories by mid-February.