UK Covid death toll rises by 1,290 with almost 38,000 new cases

21 January 2021, 16:29

A further 1,290 people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, with another 37,892 cases in the last 24 hours.

It brings the total death toll since the beginning of the pandemic to 94,580 and the total number of cases to 3,543,646.

But Covid-19 case rates have fallen in every region of England, according to the latest weekly surveillance report from Public Health England.

The new figures came as Boris Johnson said it is "too early to say" when coronavirus restrictions will be lifted, adding that it is "absolutely crucial" to follow lockdown rules "in what is unquestionably going to be a tough few weeks ahead".

London's rate of new cases stood at 629.7 per 100,000 people in the seven days to January 17, down from 935.1 in the previous week.

The capital continues to have the highest rate of any region.

PM: Too early to say when restrictions will be lifted

Yorkshire & the Humber continues to have the lowest rate: 246.6, down from 307.1.

Case rates in England are also falling among all age groups, Public Health England said.

The highest rate continues to be among 20 to 29-year-olds, which stood at 647.3 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to January 17, down week-on-week from 923.2.

Among 30 to 39-year-olds, the rate dropped from 804.9 to 628.4, and for 40 to 49-year-olds, it fell from 712.1 to 575.0.

For people 80 and over, the rate has fallen from 622.6 to 515.1.

A total of 4,740,578 Covid-19 vaccinations have now taken place in England between December 8 and January 20, according to provisional NHS England data, including first and second doses, which is a rise of 320,874 on Wednesday's figures.

Of this number, 4,303,730 were the first dose of the vaccine, a rise of 318,151 on Tuesday's figures, while 436,848 were the second dose, an increase of 2,723.

Around two-thirds of people aged 80 and over in northern England have now received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

For north-east England & Yorkshire the figure stands at 67%, while for north-west England it is 64%, according to provisional NHS England data for the period up to January 17.

By contrast 50% of people aged 80 and over in London have had their first dose, while in eastern England the figure is 53%.

Some 85% of people in Gloucestershire aged 80 and over have received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, new data suggests - the highest for any sub-regional area of England.

Provisional figures from NHS England show the number of first doses broken down by what are called 'STPs' (sustainability and transformational partnerships), each of which contains a number of local authorities, NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups.

There are 42 STPs covering the whole of England, and figures show that up to January 17 Gloucestershire STP had the highest proportion of people aged 80 and over who had received their first vaccine dose, followed by Northamptonshire (78%) and Hereford & Worcestershire (76%).

The STPs with the lowest proportions were Suffolk & North East Essex (36%) and Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Health and Care (43%).