Covid: UK records new daily high of 1,610 deaths

A further 1,610 people have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid test – the biggest figure reported in a single day since the pandemic began.

It means the total number of deaths by that measure is now above 90,000.

The previous highest figure came last Wednesday, when 1,564 deaths were recorded.

Another 33,355 positive Covid cases have been recorded in the most recent 24-hour period.

A total of 4,266,577 people have now received the first dose of a vaccine,

according to the latest government figures.

The figures come as new estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show about one in 10 people across the UK tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies in December – roughly double the October figure.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he is self-isolating after being alerted by the UK’s NHS Covid-19 app.

He said self-isolation was “perhaps the most important part of all the social distancing” and urged others to do the same if contacted.

In total, 91,470 people have died within 28 days of testing positive, but there are other ways of measuring the total number of deaths.

When all deaths where coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate are counted, plus deaths known to have occurred more recently, the number of deaths involving Covid in the UK is more than 100,000.

Another method is to count excess deaths – all deaths over and above the usual number at the time of year.