Coronavirus cases are continuing to rocket across Britain, with the number of new cases reported today the highest since the pandemic began.
Today the government said that as of 9am on December 29, there had been a further 53,135 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
The positive tests for Tuesday are around 12,000 higher than a day earlier – which was itself the highest daily total since the crisis started.
It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 2,382,865.
A further 414 people have also died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, bringing the UK total to 71,567.
Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 87,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.
Dr Susan Hopkins, senior medical adviser for Public Health England, said the "unprecedented levels" of Covid-19 infection across the UK was of "extreme concern".
She said: "Whilst the number of cases reported today include some from over the festive period, these figures are largely a reflection of a real increase.
"It is essential, now more than ever, that we continue to work together to stop the spread of the virus, bring the rate of infection down and protect the most vulnerable and the NHS.
Use your postcode below to find vaccine locations near where you live
"A critical part of this is each and every one of us abiding by the restrictions in place however hard it may seem at this time of the year.
"It is critical that we reduce our contacts, especially mixing between households. We must observe the basic measures - wash your hands, wear a mask and keep your distance from others."
