SPIKE GOES ON
UK coronavirus cases above 7,000 for second day running with another 71 dead
THE number of coronavirus cases in the UK rose by 7,108 today - the second day in a row the figure has risen by more than 7,000.
Another 71 Covid deaths were confirmed, meaning 42,143 have now died from the bug in Britain.
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It brings the total number of positive test results in the UK to 453,264, as Boris Johnson briefed the nation on the surging infection rate - warning it was not time to "throw in the sponge despite being impatient or fed up".
And he begged the nation to pull together and follow the rules in order to avoid another wide-spread lockdown.
Today's rise in cases is the second highest daily jump recorded since the start of the outbreak after 7,143 new positive infections were logged yesterday.
Today's rise in deaths is identical to yesterday's jump and remains the highest spike recorded since July 1.
It comes as...
- Eight dead and six fighting for life in major coronavirus outbreak at Wales hospital ‘caused by super-spreader’
- Swansea spreader blamed for entire Covid outbreak after infecting 32 at uni house party
- Newcastle chef makes sly dig at Boris in BBC interview with ‘British tits’ poster
- I’m a celebrity under threat as Wales hit by new lockdown rules that ban group gathering and ‘bubbles’
- Major coronavirus outbreak erupts at hospital in Wales with cases doubling in a week to 82
The number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 has also started to rise in recent weeks after admissions flattened off at the start of August.
The most up to date figures for the whole of the UK show 2,252 patients were in hospital with the bug on Monday - and as of yesterday, 312 of these were on ventilators.
The figure is up 15 from the day before, when 297 patients were in ventilator beds across the UK.
DEATHS RISE
In England, 43 more deaths were confirmed today, bringing the total number of Covid deaths in English hospitals to 30,005.
The patients, who died between August 22 and September 29, were aged between 43 and 98 years old and all except one (aged 72) had underlying health conditions.
In Scotland, seven new deaths were reported today – the biggest daily spike in the country since June, raising the grim tally there to 2,519.
One new death was confirmed in Wales today, bringing the death toll in there to 1,616.
Northern Ireland also recorded one more fatality, raising the country's overall figure to 579.
Another 640 new cases were reported in Scotland, meaning 29,244 Scots have tested positive for the bug in total.
Wales reported 388 new infections, although Public Health Wales said 2,000 test results were missing.
It brings the number of positive test results reported in Wales so far to 23,985.
'SUPER-SPREAD'
Meanwhile, Covid cases have doubled to 82 in a week at Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, where a local lockdown is currently in place.
The spike has been blamed on a "super-spreading event" caused by either a patient or staff member - rather than there being multiple transmissions.
Eight people at the hospital have died and six others are fighting for their lives.
The Trust confirmed they are now taking "robust action" to tackle the flare up.
It comes as four areas of North Wales are due to be plunged into local lockdown with more than half-a-million people affected.
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Health Minister Vaughan Gething confirmed new restrictions will apply to Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy and Wrexham from 6pm on Thursday.
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Meanwhile, Boris Johnson is set to address the nation's surging infection rate at 5pm this afternoon in a rare press conference with Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance.
The PM is not expected to announce further national restrictions but he will address the worrying coronavirus figures - as fears of a second national lockdown grow.
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Eight dead and six fighting for life in major coronavirus outbreak at Wales hospital ’caused by super-spreader’