COVID-19: UK records 1,610 more coronavirus deaths – highest on single day since outbreak began
Written by News on 20/01/2021
A further 1,610 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 – the highest number of UK deaths on a single day since the outbreak began.
Meanwhile, a further 33,355 confirmed coronavirus cases were also recorded in the past 24 hours, according to Public Health England (PHE).
That compares with figures released on Monday of 599 further deaths and 37,535 confirmed cases.
The number 1,610 does not represent the total number of people who died on one day, but rather the total number of deaths that had COVID-19 that were recorded by the government in a day – some occurred previously.
It now shows that four of the worst five days for deaths during the pandemic took place during January 2021.
The four day stretch from 11 January to 14 January had 1,000 or more coronavirus related deaths every day: 11 January had 1,064, 12 January had 1,052, 13 January had 1,018 and 14 January 1,000.
This compares with the worst day on record, 8 April 2020, which saw 1,073 deaths.
The recent numbers could still rise further as more cases are added to the government database in the coming days.
It comes as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said at least one in eight people in England had had COVID-19 by December last year.
The figures for private households are part of the Infection Survey in partnership with the University of Oxford, University of Manchester, PHE and Wellcome Trust.
They are based on the proportion of the population who are likely to have tested positive for antibodies to COVID-19, based on blood test results from a sample of people aged 16 and over.
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The ONS says the figures equate to approximately 5.4 million people in England having previously had the infection.
And earlier, Dr Jenny Harries, one of England’s deputy chief medical officers, suggested schools might not all reopen at the same time across England as lockdown restrictions are eased.
Dr Harries said there was “likely” to be regional differences in COVID measures because “we will not have consistent patterns of infection in our communities across the country”.
(c) Sky News 2021: COVID-19: UK records 1,610 more coronavirus deaths – highest on single day since outbreak began
