UK records 6,634 new coronavirus cases in highest ever single-day rise
24 September 2020, 17:27 | Updated: 7 June 2023, 08:56
A total of 6,634 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours making it the biggest single-day rise since the outbreak began.
Last Thursday, the number of people who tested positive for the virus in a day was 3,395, meaning the case numbers have doubled in the space of a week.
Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: "This is the highest number recorded and a stark warning for us all. The signals are clear.
"Positivity rates are rising across all age groups and we're continuing to see spikes in rates of admission to hospital and critical care.
"We must all follow the new measures that have been bought in to help control the virus and download the new NHS Covid-19 App which is the fastest way of knowing when you're at risk."
Although this is the highest recorded number in a day, experts have previously warned against comparisons with the beginning of the pandemic due to the smaller number of tests which were carried out at the time.
There has also been a rise in the number of people who are dying with the virus.
The Government said a further 40 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Thursday, bringing the UK total to 41,902.
Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have now been 57,600 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
The news comes days after Boris Johnson brought in new restrictions in the UK to try and curb the rapidly growing numbers.
Earlier today Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it is estimated 10,000 people are contracting the virus each day.
Chancellor unveils winter economic plan: the key points
The news comes on the same day Chancellor Rishi Sunak laid out his winter economic plan to replace the furlough scheme.
Mr Sunak was facing growing calls to either replace or extend the furlough scheme which has got the country through the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But that is due to draw to a close at the end of October, and Britain's economy now needs to be able to survive as the nation deals with the second wave of Covid-19.
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