UK records 55,000 new Covid-19 cases as death toll passes 75,000
The UK has recorded almost 55,000 new daily Covid-19 cases as the total death toll from the virus passed 75,000.
Another 54,990 coronavirus cases were reported today, marking the sixth day running that the total has exceeded 50,000.
A further 454 people died, according to government data, taking the death toll to 75,024.
Britain is battling a fresh spike in coronavirus infections as a new, more infectious strain of the virus rips through the population.
Infection rates are particularly high in the south east, while London has recorded more than 80,000 new cases in the last seven days.
It comes as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to bring in even tougher new lockdown measures to halt the spread of the virus.
Millions of children are set to start returning from their Christmas holidays tomorrow, despite calls from teaching unions and Labour MPs to delay reopenings.
Johnson today hinted that tougher Covid measures could be introduced in the coming weeks — meaning England could face a full-blown lockdown similar to the one brought in at the start of the pandemic last March.
But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the prime minister was not acting quickly enough, and urged him to implement a full national lockdown in the next 24 hours.