Over 12,000 Covid-19 cases reported in UK after technical issues increase numbers
3 October 2020, 22:12 | Updated: 4 October 2020, 09:58
Over 12,000 coronavirus cases were reported in the UK after a technical issue increased the numbers.
A total of 12,872 cases were reported, almost double the highest number since the pandemic began, but officials have explained that many of them are over a week old.
Positive tests from 24 September to 1 October were added to Saturday's total instead of being added the days in which they were supposed to be reported.
Officials stressed that the number does not reflect the true number of cases and that an error meant cases reported will be higher than the actual amount for the next several days.
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A statement on the Government's Covid-19 dashboard said: :"Due to a technical issue, which has now been resolved, there has been a delay in publishing a number of COVID-19 cases to the dashboard in England.
"This means the total reported over the coming days will include some additional cases from the period between 24 September and 1 October, increasing the number of cases reported."
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A further 49 deaths were also reported - down from 66 recorded yesterday but still much higher compared to a few weeks earlier.
It follows the raising of the R rate to between 1.3 and 1.6 - the highest in weeks.
On Saturday. however, Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted he might suspend the 'rule of six' for Christmas Day so the festive season can be "as normal as possible".
Speaking with ITV Meridian, the he was asked about Christmas Day, and whether families of five would be banned from inviting more than one grandparent round for lunch.
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Mr Johnson responded by saying: "We're not saying that at all" and added the government would do "everything we can to make sure Christmas for everybody is as normal as possible".
But he admitted there would need to be a set of criteria met - including getting the R value in the UK below one.
