COVID 19: UK coronavirus deaths rise by 616 – with another 12,282 positive tests
Written by News on 09/12/2020
The number of people to die with coronavirus in the UK in the latest 24-hour period has increased by 616, while cases have gone up by 12,282.
The fatality figure is a large rise compared with Monday’s 189 COVID-19-related deaths.
There is sometimes a reporting lag after the weekend.
The total number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus is now 62,033.
There were 14,718 cases recorded yesterday.
The total number of people to test positive for the virus in the last seven days has reached 107,158.
And since the pandemic started, there have been 1,750,241 confirmed coronavirus infections in the UK.
Separate figures by statistics agencies where COVID-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data, show there have been 78,000 deaths involving coronavirus in the UK.
Meanwhile, the fight against COVID-19 has taken a historic leap forward after the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was given to people outside a clinical trial for the first time.
Grandmother-of-four Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, became the first person in the world to receive the jab as part of a vaccination programme.
Mrs Keenan, who has lived in Coventry for six decades but is originally from Eniniskillen, Northern Ireland, was given the vaccine by nurse May Parsons at the city’s University Hospital at 6.31am.
She said being the first was “a privilege” and “the best early birthday present I could wish for” as it would mean she could spend time with her family and friends in the New Year “after being on my own for most of the year”.
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Also in another boost, the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective, independent analysis has confirmed.
Researchers say the jab will have a “big impact” on the pandemic.
The study, published in the Lancet, is the first peer-reviewed analysis looking into phase 3 data from a vaccine trial.
(c) Sky News 2020: COVID 19: UK coronavirus deaths rise by 616 – with another 12,282 positive tests
