The UK’s coronavirus death toll in hospitals has risen by 427, bringing the total to 23,363.
The tragic figure was announced as England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned the country was “nowhere near the end of the pandemic”.
There were 352 deaths in England and 18 in Northern Ireland.
Scotland’s death toll rose by 40 to 1,515, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced this afternoon, while Wales saw 17 new deaths.
Yesterday the total number of hospital deaths stood at 22,861.
Officials say the current lockdown could continue for months – until the number of new cases drops to less than 1,000 per day.
Earlier today research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the rate of fatalities in poorer areas is double that of their more affluent counterparts.
Nick Stripe, head of health analysis at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said: “People living in more deprived areas have experienced Covid-19 mortality rates more than double those living in less deprived areas.
“General mortality rates are normally higher in more deprived areas, but so far Covid-19 appears to be taking them higher still.”
The government has said it will not consider lifting the existing lockdown until it can be certain there will be no second peak.
