DAILY Covid cases and deaths have both dropped today in a sign that Britain is finally turning the tide in the battle against the virus.
Infections increased by 29,622 – a slight rise on last week’s figure but a huge drop on a fortnight ago.
Deaths have risen by 68, which is down on the 71 recorded on Monday but above the 43 reported on July 16.
Today’s rise in cases marks a slight increase on last week’s figure of 27,144 – but a significant drop on the 46,691 infections recorded a fortnight ago.
The increase takes the total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,830,774.
And the rise in deaths brings the total to 129,583.
It comes as:
- Number of Covid patients in hospital falls in fresh sign pandemic is in retreat
- Risk of deadly blood clots increases if you reject vaccine and catch Covid, study warns
- Delta variant poses ‘severe’ risk to mums-to-be as all pregnant women urged to get jabbed
- Holidaymakers told stay outside and keep testing while you’re away, as PHE warns ‘the pandemic is NOT over’
- Record number of Brits ‘pinged’ by NHS app last week as 1 in 5 admit to bending self-isolation rules
Meanwhile, the official R rate fell today in a sign that infections may finally be slowing across the UK.
It was also reported today that the number of people in hospital with Covid started to fall yesterday in yet another sign that the pandemic is in retreat.
Admissions had been growing steadily since mid-May but patients on wards reduced by 126 to 5,056 in England and by one to 6,034 in the UK.
It means the third wave may have peaked a month before experts predicted.
