UK Covid deaths surge by 21% in a week as 178 fatalities are recorded in a day – but cases drop as travel news looms

 CORONAVIRUS deaths in the UK have surged by 21 per cent in just a week – with a further 178 fatalities reported today.

However, cases have dropped, with 32,651 recorded in the last 24 hours – compared to 37,622 this day last week.

Meanwhile, last Friday the UK saw a further 147 Brits lose their lives to the killer bug.

It comes as a huge coronavirus travel decision is expected to be announced by government later today.

The major shake-up could see double-jabbed Brits no longer having to take costly PCR tests.

And the ‘pre-departure tests’ that travellers are forced to take before flying home are also likely to go. 

Meanwhile, traffic light rules could be cut to a much simpler go and no go system.

But anyone who hasn’t been double-jabbed will have to pay the price – facing even tougher restrictions.

Lateral flow tests are set to replace expensive PCRs for returning holidaymakers – but travellers would still pay through the nose.

The swabs, only for double-jabbed arrivals, will cost about £30 as the free NHS kits will not be accepted.

Those taking the test will be supervised in person or virtually but the changes will save about £100 in testing costs per booking.

And they will not have to show a negative test at all if they return from a green list country.

Meanwhile Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is today expected to announce the end of the traffic light system in favour of a go/no-go list.

And the red list that bans travel to 62 countries will be more than halved when all of the new measures kick in before half-term next month.

All current amber list countries could effectively become green – or ‘go’ destinations –while the number of red list, or ‘no-go’ countries, are set to be slashed in half.

It means some popular holiday spots, such as Turkey, Mexico and Tunisia, could be declared safe.