London [UK], October 28 (ANI/Xinhua): The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 367 to 45,365, the highest daily increase since May, according to official figures released Tuesday. Another 22,885 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 917,575, the data showed. Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, warned that the rising number of deaths was likely to “continue for some time”.
“We continue to see the trend in deaths rising and it is likely this will continue for some time,” she said in a statement. “Each day we see more people testing positive and hospital admissions increasing…Being seriously ill enough from the infection to need hospital admission can sadly lead to more COVID-related deaths,” she said.
Earlier Tuesday, separate figures released by the British Office for National Statistics showed that weekly coronavirus-related deaths have risen in England and Wales for the sixth consecutive week and have now reached the highest levels since mid-June. Up by 53 per cent on the previous week, a total of 670 deaths were registered in the week ending Oct. 16 with COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate, compared with 438 the week before.
According to the calculation by the London-based The Guardian newspaper, the COVID-19 death toll across Britain has passed 61,000, based on the total number of deaths registered by statistical agencies across England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The latest figures were announced as the northern English town of Warrington moved into the highest level of coronavirus restrictions since Tuesday in a bid to curb the fast spread of coronavirus. From 12:01 a.m. (0001 GMT), the area went into England’s Tier Three restrictions, which include a ban on the mix of different households both indoors, in a private garden or at most outdoor hospitality venues.
Under the measures, all pubs and bars will also be forced to close unless they are serving substantial meals. People can still meet up following the Rule of Six outdoors in places including parks or the countryside. The northern English city of Nottingham and parts of the surrounding county will also move into Tier Three of COVID restrictions, which will come into force from 12:01 am (0001 GMT) on Thursday. (ANI/Xinhua)