UK records another 60,916 Covid cases - highest daily total so far

5 January 2021, 16:37 | Updated: 5 January 2021, 18:44

The UK has recorded another 60,916 Covid cases in the past 24 hours - the highest daily total since the pandemic began.

The new figure brings the total number of cases in the UK to 2,774,479.

The Government said a further 830 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, bringing the UK total to 76,305.

The new figures came as it was revealed more than one million people in England are currently infected with Covid-19.

Quoting newly released figures published by the Office for National Statistics during a Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister said "there will still be long weeks ahead" as he showed the grim statistics.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 310 (98%) have seen a rise in case rates.

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The Prime Minister told the public that an estimated 1.1 million people in private households in England had Covid-19 between 27 December and 2 January.

This is the equivalent of around 2.06% of the population, or one in 50 people.

It represents a rise from 800,900 people, or one in 70, who were estimated to have Covid-19 in the period 17 to 23 December.

The figures do not include people staying in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.

Further ONS figures show that in London, an estimated one in 30 people in private households had Covid-19 between December 27 and January 2.

The figure for south-east England, eastern England and north-west England is estimated to be one in 45; for the East Midlands it is one in 50; for north-east England one in 60; and for the West Midlands and Yorkshire & the Humber one in 65.

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For south-west England the estimate is one in 135.

Barking & Dagenham in London continues to have the highest rate in England, with 3,216 new cases recorded in the seven days to January 1 - the equivalent of 1,510.5 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 976.5 in the seven days to December 25.

Thurrock in Essex has the second highest rate, up from 1,217.2 to 1,471.8, with 2,566 new cases.

Castle Point, also in Essex, is in third place, where the rate has increased from 1,083.3 to 1,419.6 with 1,283 new cases.

The areas recording the biggest week-on-week jumps are Carlisle (up from 349.7 to 932.1 with 1,013 new cases); Rushmoor in Hampshire (up from 657.5 to 1,229.4 with 1,163 new cases); and the Isle of Wight (up from 215.8 to 785.8, with 1,114 new cases).