UK coronavirus death toll rises by 6 in the last 24 hours as cases increase by 1,041

JUST one person died of coronavirus in hospitals across England today, as the UK's overall tally hit 41,429.

Six fatalities were logged in total across the UK, with another 1,041 Covid cases confirmed.

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It means 325,642 have now been infected with the deadly bug in Britain.

The patient who died in the North West of England was 82 years old and had underlying health conditions, NHS England confirmed today.

It brings the total number of coronavirus deaths in English hospitals to 29,497.

It comes as...

• Leaked dossier reveals plans for perfect storm of second wave and Brexit no deal
• Vaccine unlikely to be ready by winter 2021, Chief Medical Officer says
• Six million furloughed workers broke rules & worked from home during lockdown
• England star and Premier League players test positive for Covid
• Virus risk to children in schools 'exceptionally small,' experts say
• Unions say they 'don't want Gavin Williamson sacked'

The six deaths announced by Public Health England today refer to those who died within 28 days of a positive test result.

Today's rise is smaller than it was yesterday, when 18 further fatalities were confirmed.

In Wales, two more people died overnight, bringing the overall toll there to 1,592.

No new deaths were recorded in Scotland, leaving the fatal tally there at 2,492.

The Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland does not update its figures on weekends - the country's current coronavirus death toll is 559.

It comes as 14 of Britain's top medical officers urged kids to return to classrooms in September - because it would be more harmful to not go at all.

England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, said: “The balance of risk is very strongly in favour of children going to school because many more are likely to be harmed by not going than harmed by going even during this pandemic.”

He also warned that a coronavirus vaccine is unlikely to be ready before the winter of 2021, adding that he would be "surprised" if effective immunisation was available any sooner.

He said: "I’d be quite surprised if we had a highly effective vaccine ready for mass use in a large percentage of the population before the end of winter, certainly before this side of Christmas.

"I think it is unlikely we will have a vaccine that is highly effective and ready to deploy at scale this winter meaning 2020/21."

He added: "I think there is a reasonable chance that we will have vaccines, not a certainty, in the period before the following winter of 2021/22."

Meanwhile, it has been claimed that unions against schools reopening DON'T want Gavin Williamson to be sacked.

One union leader told the : "We had a meeting with another union and we're in complete agreement, we don't want him to go because he's a very useful idiot for us. We don't want him to be sacked."

A Government source responded: "Getting all children back to school at the start of term is a national priority. That's what the unions should be focused on rather than playing political games."