UK records 379 Covid deaths and 120,821 new cases as PCR test rule change begins
It’s the highest number of daily deaths since 24 February last year
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Your support makes all the difference.The UK has reported a further 379 Covid-related deaths and 120,821 new cases of the virus in the past 24-hour period, as PCR test changes come into effect from today.
It marks the highest number of daily deaths since 24 February last year, when 442 were reported.
The figures – for those who have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 – are often higher on a Tuesday due to a weekend lag.
The number of cases is down from the 142,224 reported on Monday.
It comes as new Covid rules mean people who produce a positive lateral flow test will no longer need to take a PCR test to confirm their result. From January 11, asymptomatic people in England who test positive will no longer require a confirmatory PCR result.
The move, previously announced last week by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), is taking place to free up capacity in laboratories for PCR tests for those who have Covid-19 symptoms.
People who receive a positive result on a lateral flow device (LFD), however, will be required to self-isolate immediately, without requiring PCR confirmation.
UKHSA chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said: “This is a tried and tested approach. With Covid cases high, we can confidently say lateral flow tests can be used to indicate Covid-19 without the need for PCR confirmation.
“If you test positive on an LFD, you should self-isolate immediately and register your result to allow contact tracing to take place.
“It also remains really important that anyone experiencing Covid-19 symptoms self-isolates and takes a PCR test via gov.uk, or by phoning 119.”
The number of pupils and teachers out of school for Covid-related reasons in England has risen as Omicron cases spread, government figures have shown.
The latest data shows 8.6 per cent of teachers and school leaders - around 44,000 of staff - were absent at the start of term, up from 8 per cent on 16 December. Meanwhile, some 4.9 per cent of teachers and school leaders were off school due to Covid-related reasons on 6 January, up from 3 per cent on 16 December.
Earlier today, the World Health Organisation warned more than half of people across Europe will be infected by the Omicron variant of coronavirus in the next two months.
The WHO’s European arm said Omicron represents a “new tidal wave” – with more than 50% of the continent’s population set to be infected over the next six to eight weeks.
The organisation said Europe entered the new year under “intense pressure” and there were more than seven million cases in the first week of January.
The WHO has warned Covid-19 cannot yet be treated as an “endemic” disease.
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