Audio By Carbonatix
The number of new daily confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK has topped 60,000 for the first time since the pandemic started.
According to government figures on Tuesday, the number of people who have tested positive was 60,916.
A further 830 people have died within 28 days of a positive test, up from 407 on Monday.
It comes as England and Scotland announced new lockdowns, with people told to stay at home.
At a press conference at Downing Street on Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said 1.3 million people had now been vaccinated in the UK.
He said 23% of people aged over 80 - some 650,000 people - in England had now had the vaccine.
Mr Johnson was joined by the government's chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
Mr Whitty said data showed an estimated one in 50 people in private households in England had Covid-19 between 27 December and 2 January - "really quite a large number indeed".
The number of new daily cases has consistently been above 50,000 since 29 December.
Back in the first peak of the pandemic in the spring, the number of daily confirmed cases never went over 7,000.
However, it is thought the true number of cases then was much higher but not picked up because testing capacity was limited. It was estimated that there were about 100,000 new infections a day at the end of March - but there was not the testing to detect it.
Latest Stories
-
Unhappy Tottenham players should leave – De Zerbi
4 minutes -
Interior Minister promises police recruitment slots for families of victims in Sefwi Sayerano shooting
7 minutes -
Mid-Year Budget Review: Deloitte Africa Executive calls for better revenue mobilisation and focused flagship programmes
21 minutes -
Fleeing a wall of flames: Tourists describe France wildfires escape
23 minutes -
Financing key to unlocking Africa’s energy potential – Jinapor
32 minutes -
‘A growing economy with unemployed youth is a factory of frustration’ – Gideon Boako
48 minutes -
‘Economic indicators are green but social indicators are red’- Gideon Boako questions impact of recovery
49 minutes -
Mid-Year Budget Review: 40% underspend on capital expenditure raises questions over project delivery – Yaw Lartey
53 minutes -
Economic gains are driven by IMF programme not superior economic management – Dr Boako
1 hour -
NSMQ 2026: Ejisuman SHS cruises to national championship with dominant opening victory
1 hour -
Ghana not out of the woods yet; economic numbers show more work is needed – Vice President of Chartered Institute of Taxation
2 hours -
Modi’s education minister quits as jubilant Indian youth protesters claim victory
2 hours -
OSP should not be solely blamed for Ofori-Atta situation – Prof Atua
3 hours -
US immigration judge had no jurisdiction to rule on Ofori-Atta’s criminal case – Inusah Fuseini
4 hours -
Final repatriation phase begins as another batch of Ghanaians is expected to leave South Africa
4 hours