The UK has recorded its highest number of Covid deaths in a single-day period since 24 March, Public Health England data shows.
Some 96 people died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus as of 9am on Tuesday. It brings the nation’s death toll to 128,823, while there were also 46,558 new cases of Covid reported in the same 24 hours.
It comes as No 10 said it remains “crucial” for people to self-isolate when they are told to by either the NHS app or by Test and Trace.
Meanwhile, the government has been accused of “penny pinching” after it went back on plans to consider expanding the eligibility of statutory sick pay, allowing more low-paid workers access during the pandemic. The U-turn comes amid warnings that millions more workers will be “pinged” by the NHS Covid app and told to isolate this summer.
“The government has abandoned millions of low-paid workers at the worst possible time,” said TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady.
