UK coronavirus deaths dropped by 45% in a week while cases fell by 34%, new figures revealed.
New statistics released today revealed there were 215 Covid fatalities in the past 24 hours – down from the 398 recorded this time last week.
The number of fatalities mean the total number of people killed by the bug now sits at 58,245 – inching closer to the grim milestone of 60,000 deaths.
On November 16, 213 fatalities were recorded, however, aside from that date the number of deaths are the lowest since March 29 when 212 people were killed by the bug.
Meanwhile, another 12,155 new cases were recorded today.
This time last week, 18,662 new cases were recorded in a day – a drop of 34%.
Earlier this week, 11,299 new cases were recorded on Tuesday – but apart from that, the last time infections were so low was at the end of September with 7,143.
Overall, 1,617,327 infections have been recorded across the UK.
It follows a steady decrease in infections across the UK. Yesterday, cases dropped by 20% in a week with 15,871 new infections reported.
It comes as…
- The Tiers system could end in February amid Boris Johnson facing a major rebellion from his own party
- The PM has begged Brits not to ‘trip on the last barbed wire’ in the fight against the bug
- Millions of Brits could be downgraded from Tier 3 to Tier 2 in just a few weeks
- Britain is facing a Christmas gift shortage in two weeks
- Oxford vaccine heroes reveal their pride at cracking the jab in just nine months
The numbers come as Boris Johnson pleaded with Brits not to “trip on the last barbed wire and blow it” by flouting restrictions.
The PM made the remarks as the national coronavirus lockdown is set to end on Wednesday and be replaced with a Tier system.
He is optimistic that recent vaccine breakthroughs will allow Brits to move closer to normality as the fight against the pandemic continues.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Boris said: “It is crucial to understand
that with the help of these scientific advances we hope to make
progress – and to de-escalate – before Easter.
It comes as it emerged the Covid Tiers system could end in February as Boris tries to head off a major rebellion from Tory MPs.
The PM has faced a blue wall of opposition to his plan to impose tough Tier 2 and 3 restrictions across 99 per cent of England when the national lockdown ends next week.
Up to 100 Tory backbenchers are threatening to rebel against the tier regime when it is voted on in Parliament on Tuesday.
But in a letter offering an olive branch to colleagues on Saturday night, Mr Johnson said the regulations would contain a “sunset clause” – or expiry date – of February 3, with MPs given the chance to vote on whether to extend them beyond that date.
He also hinted that on December 16, some Tier 3 areas could be downgraded to Tier 2 allowing people to go to pubs and restaurants indoors with their family bubbles.
“Where evidence shows the disease is in sustained decline, areas will be moved down,” he said.
He has faced a growing backlash from his own MPs after Trending In The News revealed that Easter Monday had originally been pencilled in for lifting the tiers system.
The Government will review local areas’ tiers every fortnight and bring the regulations before Parliament again after the fourth review on January 27.
MPs will then be given another vote and the chance to scrap the tiers system altogether.
Areas that will move tiers after this review will see the changes come into effect on December 19.
