THE UNITED KINGDOM has registered another new daily high of more than 53,000 Covid-19 cases, as concern mounted about spiralling numbers of positive tests and pressure on health services.

Government figures showed 53,135 people had tested positive in the last 24 hours, up from 41,385 the previous day, taking the overall number of cases to 2,382,865.

A further 414 deaths were recorded within 28 days of a positive test, increasing the country’s toll to 71,567.

The figures include some cases which were diagnosed over the Christmas period, but health officials are keen to stress that it is still a ‘real increase’ on previous days.

The sustained rise in new cases comes as NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said healthcare workers are “back in the eye of the storm”.

The latest figures showed there were 20,426 Covid patients in the country’s hospitals on Monday, compared to the 18,974 peak recorded during the first wave.

Speaking this evening, Public Health England’s senior medical advisor Dr Susan Hospkins urged the public to reduce their contacts, describing today’s figures as being of “extreme concern”.

“It is essential, now more than ever, that we continue to work together to stop the spread of the virus, bring the rate of infection down and protect the most vulnerable and the NHS,” she said.

© – AFP, 2020, additional reporting by Nicky Ryan