Daily Covid infections plunge to 74,720 but hospital cases keep rising
The UK recorded another 74,720 Covid-19 cases on Thursday in a possible sign that the recent surge in cases has peaked.
The figure is nearly a quarter lower than last Thursday’s figure of 98,204 and more than 12,000 fewer than the previous day.
A total of 535,248 Covid infections have been confirmed in the past seven days, which is 12.6% down on the previous seven-day period.
Meanwhile another 192 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test have been recorded, bringing the UK’s official pandemic death toll to 165,379.
Pressure on the NHS appears to be slowly increasing, however, with yet another daily increase in the number of patients in hospital who are carrying the virus.
The latest update shows there were 19,534 people in hospital with Covid-19 on Wednesday, 137 more than on Tuesday.
The figure has rise every day since March 5.
The figures come after the Standard revealed that the number of patients with Covid in London hospitals is at its highest level for almost two months.
A total of 2,330 inpatients had tested positive for the virus on Wednesday - but only about 26 per cent were in hospital “primarily” because of Covid, according to NHS England statistics published on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday, one of the country’s leading medical advisers suggested that people in Britain should wear face masks because of the high number of Covid infections.
Dame Jenny Harries, head of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), urged the nation to be “very sensible and take precautions in periods of high prevalence as we have now”.
She revealed she still wears a covering in shops and on trains despite it no longer being a legal requirement.
The health official told BBC Radio 4’s the Today programme: “The pandemic is not over and how the virus will develop over time remains uncertain. Covid still poses a real risk to many of us, particularly with case rates and hospitalisations on the rise. That is why it is sensible to wear a mask in enclosed spaces.
“I will always put on a face covering when I walk into a shop or if I’m on a train, in those areas where we know we can help prevent transmission even if we’re not aware ourselves that we might have it.”
