The number of coronavirus hospital deaths in Britain have risen by 199 - a drop of 43 per cent on last Friday.
The tragic new number fatalities represent a decline in number, as Covid cases continue to fall two months after Boris Johnson imposed a third lockdown on England.
In the latest data covering the last 24 hours, England recorded 174 news deaths, Wales recorded 12, Scotland recorded 11 and Northern Ireland recorded two.
This is a drop from a week ago, when 352 deaths were recorded - the lowest Friday increase of 2021 so far.
By comparison, the tolls announced on other Fridays this year were 367 on February 19, 508 on February 12, 649 on February 5, 865 on January 29, 1,143 on January 22, 1,025 on January 15, 886 on January 8, and 420 on January 1.
Coronavirus hospital deaths rose by 221 yesterday.
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The latest statistics come as it is revealed the UK's coronavirus R rate has risen slightly to 0.7 - 0.9 - despite cases falling to their lowest level since September.
The last time an update was given on the R rate it was set at 0.6 - 0.9.
The Department of Health said: "Estimates of the R value are below 1 in all NHS regions of England, although the estimate for the North East and Yorkshire has an upper bound of 1.
"Although the epidemic continues to decrease nationally, there may be more variation in transmission locally, with some indications that the rate of decline in infections could be slowing in some areas."
And a leading scientist warned today Britain will have to continue living with a "substantial" death rate as the fight against coronavirus continues.
Professor Andrew Hayward, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), said society will, however, "get back to normal" in time and the country has already seen the worst.
He added that when the country was thrust into lockdown last year there was "conflicting advice" and experts continually failed to learn lessons as the pandemic progressed.
"I think, you know, given the societal trade-offs, we are going to have to live with a degree of mortality that will be substantial," he told Times Radio.
"I think it will get less over time as more people get vaccinated, and as more people get immune, and I do believe that we've been through the worst of this."
It was also revealed today that the Royal College of Nursing is setting up an emergency fund for strike action over the proposed 1% NHS pay rise.
The drum beat towards industrial action in the health service appears to have started after Unite also said it will consider holding ballots.
Workers are furious at the proposal from the Government which would amount to a real terms pay cut after inflation.
The Department of Health and Social Care has submitted its proposal to the NHS pay review body, which will decide in May how much of a salary uplift the vast majority of NHS staff across the UK should get in 2021-22.
The 1% rise would apply to all staff apart from junior doctors, GPs and dentists.
One nurse, called Sam, tweeted a photo of him at the end of a shift, saying: "I’m more tired, more worn out and even more deflated after today’s news of a measly 1% pay rise for NHS Staff."
