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Coronavirus: UK daily cases rise by 1,522 in highest increase since June

Death toll climbs by 12 to 41,477, according to government figures

Chiara Giordano
Thursday 27 August 2020 20:46 BST
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The UK has recorded the highest daily rise in coronavirus cases since June, while the death toll has risen by 12.

Government data shows a further 1,522 people tested positive for Covid-19 within a 24-hour period as of 9am on Thursday.

This is the highest level since 12 June and up from 1,048 cases a day earlier.

The total number of confirmed infections in the UK now stands at 330,368.

The overall number of people who have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 now stands at 41,477 – an increase of 12 from Wednesday, according to government figures.

Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have now been 57,200 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

The UK’s hospital death toll rose by nine on Thursday after a further seven people who tested positive for coronavirus died in hospital in England.

The patients were aged between 77 and 90 and all had known underlying health conditions.

Wales recorded one more death, as did Northern Ireland – although it did not happen during the last 24 hours.

It comes after as many as 30 teenagers were feared to have potentially contracted coronavirus following a holiday to the Greek island of Zante.

At least 11 of a group of 18 and 19-year-olds, mainly from Plymouth, Devon, were reported to have tested positive for the disease on Wednesday.

Dozens of food processing plants are also dealing with coronavirus outbreaks, with one chicken factory in Norfolk forced to partially close.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said, as of Tuesday, there were around 40 food processing plants in England, both meat and non-meat, with active outbreaks – but assured that the number “remains very low”.

One of those factories includes Banham Poultry in Attleborough, Norfolk, where 75 workers tested positive for coronavirus.

Norfolk County Council said in a statement on Thursday that tests were carried out on 347 members of staff after seven caught the virus.

The local authority said 350 workers will be asked to isolate with their households and the area of the factory affected will be deep cleaned.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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