UK reports 37,535 new Covid cases, 599 deaths

London, Jan 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Another 37,535 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, the lowest daily increase since the start of the year, according to official figures released on Monday.

The daily figure, down from 38,598 on Sunday, brought the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 3,433,494, the data showed, Xinhua news agency reported.

Another 599 have died within 28 days of a positive test. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 89,860, the data showed.

The latest figures were revealed as Britain is racing against time to roll out its coronavirus vaccine program in a bid to bring the pandemic under control.

People aged 70 and over and those listed as clinically extremely vulnerable in England have begun to receive the first dose of coronavirus vaccine from Monday.

Nadhim Zahawi, the minister responsible for the vaccine rollout, said despite "lumpy" vaccine supply, he was "confident" that Britain is able to vaccinate all 15 million people in the top four priority groups by mid-February.

On Sunday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said every adult in Britain is expected to receive at least one dose of a vaccine by September.

However, with deaths and cases remaining high, it is believed that Britain will still be under tight restrictions for the next few months.

England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Source: IANS