The U.K. recorded its lowest Covid death toll in nine months yesterday, while infections fell to a level not seen since September. MailOnline has more.
Department of Health statistics showed this was only the third time deaths had fallen to this level, after August 3rd and 30th. July 30th was the only day of the pandemic to see zero victims recorded.
Health bosses also posted another 1,649 coronavirus cases, down by a fifth on the 2,064 last Monday. It was the fewest positive tests since September 2nd, before the second wave spiralled out of control.
Figures tend to be lower on Mondays because fewer people are available over the weekend to process paperwork to record a death. Separate date of death statistics, which lag by around a fortnight, show around 15 Brits are still succumbing to the virus every day – similar to levels seen at the end of summer, when ministers were happy to let Britons mix with few curbs despite no one being inoculated.
Britain today passed the landmark of having dished out 50million Covid vaccines, after another 250,000 jabs were dished out yesterday. Around 34.6million people have now had their first dose, and 15.4million – or 30% of all adults – are fully inoculated.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the “massive” achievement and insisted we are going to have a “great British summer”, while Boris Johnson said he could see no reason why England’s next planned relaxation on May 17th could not go ahead.
Despite the success of the vaccine roll-out coming alongside falling cases and deaths, the PM poured cold water on holiday hopes, warning putting lots of countries on the travel ‘green list’ could risk an “influx of disease”. His comments came hours after the EU unveiled plans to let vaccinated Brits in for summer trips.
Mr Johnson insisted Number 10 will be “cautious” amid bitter Cabinet wrangling over how far to loosen the border restrictions this month. Mr Hancock and chief medical officer Chris Whitty are said to be among those pushing for quarantine-free states to be kept to an absolute minimum.
On a pre-election visit to Hartlepool this afternoon, Mr Johnson also claimed there is a “good chance” that current social distancing rules will be scrapped on June 21st – touted as England’s independence day.
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