Another 13 die as coronavirus cases rise by 1,735

A further 13 people have died in the UK with coronavirus, bringing the country’s official death toll to 41,514. 

The number of cases of Covid-19 has continued to rise, after another 1,735 people tested positive in the past 24 hours – bringing the total to 340,411, according to the Department of Health. The latest figures come after the UK recorded its highest number of weekly cases in three months – though a rising number of cases has so far not foreshadowed a significant increase in deaths.

Figures for fatalities cover deaths in all settings including hospitals, care homes and the wider community, which have occurred 28 days after being diagnosed with the disease. 

The Government added that 799 patients are in hospital, including 80 on ventilators.

In the past 24 hours, 109 patients were admitted to hospital, bringing the total number admitted to 134,821. 

It comes after a local lockdown was said to be imminent in Hertfordshire’s Dacorum district, with a spike in the number of cases in Hemel Hempstead, Tring and Berkhamstead. 

That followed the Government being forced into a last-minute U-turn over restrictions in Bolton and Trafford, which remained in place on Wednesday after other areas saw restrictions eased.

Meanwhile, health officials are racing to track down 200 holidaymakers who returned to the UK on a Wizz Air flight from Crete last week, after the authorities failed to tell the airline that eight passengers tested positive for Covid-19.

This is a breaking story – more to follow.  

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