Yahoo Finance UK records another 2,963 Covid infections and nine deaths as cases rise
A further nine people in the UK have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the UK total to 127,710.
Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have been 152,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
The government also said there have been a further 2,829 lab-confirmed cases in the UK, as of 9am on Friday. The figure is the highest recorded in the UK since April 19 and brings the total number of UK cases to 4,457,923.
Meanwhile, more than 688,000 more Covid-19 vaccines have been administered across the country.
Of those, 268,251 were first doses - bringing the total number of people to receive one in the UK to 37.5million.
Some 420,312 were second doses, taking the total to over 21.6million as the government continues its drive to get curb the spread of the virus - in particular the variant of concern that originated in India and is believed to be more easily transmissable than the dominant so-called Kent strain.
Official figures have also revealed cases of the Indian variant have jumped 80 per cent in London in a week to 720.
However, the increase suggest that the mutation, which scientists believe transmits significantly more easily than the Kent variant, is not spiralling out of control in the capital. Cases more than doubled between May 5 and 12.
Surge testing and extra vaccinations were being deployed in Hounslow to combat the variant B1.617.2, Matt Hancock announced Wednesday evening. It emerged on Friday the testing is due to be expanded to the neighbouring boroughs of Hillingdon, Ealing ,Brent and Harrow.
Boris Johnson announced the plan for a "Global Pandemic Radar" ahead of a G20 Global Health summit on Friday in Rome, where he called on the world to unite to tackle Covid-19 and future pandemics.
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