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Backlog contributes to UK setting daily COVID record

Published:Saturday | October 3, 2020 | 5:48 PM
A protester holds a sign at an anti-coronavirus lockdown protest in Old Market Square, Nottingham, England, after a range of new restrictions to combat the rise in coronavirus cases came into place in England on Saturday, October 3, 2020. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP)

LONDON — Britain has recorded 12,872 new coronavirus infections, by far the highest daily total since the outbreak began, though the figure includes a backlog of previously unreported cases.

The government says the figure includes an unspecified number of deaths over the past week that have not been reported because of a now-resolved “technical issue.”

Saturday’s total is more than 5,000 cases more than the previous high, recorded earlier this week.

Britain is seeing a second spike in coronavirus cases, though the daily number can’t directly be compared to the outbreak’s UK peak in April because many more tests are now being performed now.

The number of hospitalisations and deaths is also rising but remains far below the UK’s springtime peak.

Another 49 COVID-19 deaths were reported on Saturday.

Britain’s official coronavirus death toll is 42,317.

The government has imposed restrictions on social gatherings to try and curb the spread of the virus, and almost a third of the country’s population of 66 million is under tighter local lockdown measures.

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