COVID-19: UK records another 1,239 virus-related deaths and 28,680 new cases
Written by News on 28/01/2021
The UK has reported another 1,239 COVID-related deaths and 28,680 new cases of the virus.
The latest government figures also reveal that 7.45 million people have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
COVID-19 cases are down by almost 10,000 on a week ago, with 37,892 reported last Thursday.
Slightly fewer virus-related deaths were registered today, down just 51 on a week ago.
Today’s figures bring the UK totals to 103,126 deaths since the start of the pandemic and 3,743,734 confirmed cases.
Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world
The government is now nearly halfway to reaching its vaccine target of 15 million first doses by the middle of February.
This would mean that everyone in the top four priority groups has a basic level of protection against the virus.
Those groups are:
- Care home workers and staff
- Over-80s and frontline health and social care workers
- Over-75s
- Over-70s and clinically extremely vulnerable, excluding pregnant women and children under 16
The government has also promised that every adult in the UK will have been offered a vaccine by the autumn.
It comes amid a row between leaders and pharmaceutical firms over delays in the rollout of vaccines.
The EU has accused AstraZeneca of “unacceptable” shortfalls in shipments after the company said it could only supply 40% of the doses it promised the bloc.
Pfizer has also warned of delays while it upscales production at its European factories, but UK ministers are insisting this will not affect their ability to meet targets.
However, the EU has threatened to impose strict controls on all coronavirus vaccines produced inside the bloc, which would affect both Pfizer and AstraZeneca supplies.
Over three nights Sky News will host a series of special programmes examining the UK’s response to the pandemic
Watch COVID Crisis: Learning the Lessons at 8pm on 9, 10 and 11 February
(c) Sky News 2021: COVID-19: UK records another 1,239 virus-related deaths and 28,680 new cases
