UK records 1,564 new Covid-19 deaths in highest-ever daily figure

13 January 2021, 16:15 | Updated: 13 January 2021, 17:25

The UK has recorded a record high of Covid-19 deaths. Picture: PA

By Kate Buck

Another 1,564 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 have died in the UK, the highest daily figure since the pandemic began.

It takes the total death toll to 84,767, and a further 47,525 positive cases have also been recorded in the last 24 hours.

The UK is currently in the grip of coronavirus, and earlier it was announced Scotland be getting plunged into even tighter restrictions from Saturday to combat the disease.

It also comes as London Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed 10,000 of the deaths in the UK have been in London.

Speaking to LBC's Shelagh Fogarty, the London Mayor said: "It's heartbreaking that it's come to this, and this epidemic is far worse than it was back in Spring.

Mayor of London calls for stronger lockdown restrictions for capital

"The pressures on the NHS are far higher, yet the lockdown measures are much lighter.

"And so the leader of the London Councils which represent the 32 boroughs and myself have written again to the Prime Minister pleading with him to have additional restrictions on our city.

"I think that's the best way to save lives and to stop the NHS being overwhelmed."

According to government figures, 10,820 people have had Covid-19 listed on their death certificate.

Boris Johnson earlier today warned that a new Covid variant in Brazil is a "concern" but the government is "taking steps" to prevent it entering the UK.

Prime Minister Johnson issued the warning about the new strain of coronavirus while speaking to MPs on the Liaison Committee on Wednesday afternoon.

The UK leader expressed his worry about the variant but did not confirm whether a travel ban will be introduced for those arriving from Brazil.

"We are concerned about the new Brazilian variant," he told MPs.

"We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad and we are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant."

Watch: Van-Tam says not to worry about vaccines working against new strains

r Johnson added that questions remain about the new strain of Covid-19, including whether it would be resistant to the vaccines.

"There are lots of questions we still have about that variant, we don't know, for instance, any more than we know whether the South African variant is vaccine-resistant."

The prime minister also said that understanding whether the vaccines work against the Brazilian and South African variants will play a part in deciding whether or not to re-open schools after the February half term.

However, he said: "I should stress, by the way, we have no evidence at present to think these strains are vaccine-resistant."

More to follow...