A further 40,954 Covid cases and 263 deaths have been recorded in the UK today, the highest daily Covid toll since 487 lives were claimed on March 3.
That's a 0.4 percent rise in infections compared to seven days ago, with fatalities increasing by 7.8 percent.
The latest figures, released this afternoon by the Department of Health, come as Britain's death toll for the whole pandemic continues to edge towards the landmark total of 140,000.
Last Tuesday's stats showed 43,738 new cases and 223 deaths.
Case rises have slowed in recent days and are now up 2.2% on a week ago, a lower figure than was seen recently.
But as hospitalisations lag behind case rises, some 6,730 patients entered UK hospitals with Covid in the last week - up 20.1% on the week before.
The government wants people to get Covid booster shots so that fewer people who have had both jabs will die or need hospital treatment.
At least 6.1 million booster doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been delivered in the UK, new figures show.
But there is pressure on the government to do more - namely to implement Covid ‘Plan B’ in England to combat rising cases.
Compulsory masks for places like shops and public transport - and fines from police - could return in Plan B.
The government would also “issue clear guidance and communications to the public and businesses, setting out the steps that they should take to manage the increased risks of the virus", and “would consider asking people to work from home if they can, for a limited period”.
Meanwhile certain venues would be forced to ask punters for an NHS Covid pass - and only the vaccine part would be valid. People would no longer be able to show a negative test.A consultation is under way about which venues would have to roll out the scheme.
But in draft plans they include all nightclubs, and other venues open after 1am with alcohol, music, and dancing.
But Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said he wants to stick Plan A, and doesn't want to "see another lockdown".
Plan A involves no additional restrictions introduced over the winter months, meaning there is no limit to how many people you can meet, and pubs and restaurants won't be closed.
The level of restriction implemented with Plan B would come with an eye-watering price tag for business, according to the newly-emerged document, which suggests the scheme would cost £800million a week.
The leaked Government document claims the UK government’s Plan B for England would cost the economy between £11bn and £18bn if it lasted between around now and March 2022.
The government did not deny the document was real, but a spokesman said: “The presumptions put forward here are untrue, and do not reflect government policy.
