UK coronavirus death toll rises by 77 to 46,706 with 1,009 new cases

NEW coronavirus cases in the UK are still above the crucial 1,000-a-day mark as officials announced another 77 people have died with the deadly bug.

In total, 46,706 people have now died of Covid-19 in the country, while yesterday, 1,009 new cases were diagnosed – bringing the total number of positive tests to 313,798.

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However, the number of new cases diagnosed is lower than yesterday, when 1,148 people were confirmed to have the virus.

Officials at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) yesterday said the UK's true death toll – which includes all fatalities where Covid-19 was listed on the death certificate – has now passed 56,800.

In England, a further six people have died with the virus in hospital.

Casualties were aged between 57 and 96. All had known underlying health conditions.

Five more died in Wales, while Scotland has marked the 30th consecutive day without a death.

The figures for Northern Ireland have not yet been published.

It comes as:

• Rishi Sunak warned "hard times are here" as the UK slipped into recession
• UK unemployment since March rose to 730,000 after another 114,000 Brits lost their jobs last month alone
• It was announced that four in ten A-Level grades will have been changed ahead of tomorrow's results
• Russia's 'world-first coronavirus vaccine' causes 'swelling pain and fever'
• The NHS Test and Trace system has announced 6,000 contact tracer jobs will go – as employees were 'sitting around watching Netflix'

There are also fears Oldham will be the latest place to go back into strict lockdown after a spike in new cases – many of which involve people aged in their 20s and 30s.

Oldham is currently the worst-hit area in England for Covid-19.

The latest figures show there have been 255 cases – a rate of 107.5 cases per 100,000 people.

Just one week earlier there were 137 cases – a rate of 57.8 per 100,000.

Meanwhile, it was announced this week that three different daily coronavirus death tolls are set to be published.

It comes after Public Health England (PHE) were said to have “exaggerated” the tally.

Health secretary Matt Hancock ordered a review after scientists discovered that anyone who tests positive and later dies of Covid-19 is currently included in the PHE numbers – even if they recover, and are then hit by a bus months later.

A review is due to be published within days and three new tolls are expected to be used after a deal was reached between ministers and scientists.

It was also revealed this week that coronavirus deaths in England and Wales are at the lowest level since before lockdown began in late March.

The number of people dying from the deadly bug has dropped drastically, with fatalities now around the same as they were 19 weeks ago.

And flu has killed more people in the UK than coronavirus for seven weeks in a row.

Almost five times as many people are now dying of influenza or pneumonia than Covid-19, according to the latest data.

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