54,990 more people test positive for Covid-19 as death toll climbs past 75,000

Another 54,990 people in the UK have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to figures released on Sunday. 

The single-day figure is down slightly on the record 57,725 cases announced on Saturday, but is the sixth straight day where infections have topped 50,000. 

Some 366,435 new cases have been recorded across the UK over the past seven days, with the infection rate now standing at 450 per 100,000 people. 

Another 454 new Covid-19 deaths were also announced on Sunday, bringing the country’s overall total to 75,024.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, reacting to the latest data, has told Prime Minister Boris Johnson to bring in another national lockdown within the next 24 hours, rather than hint that he will do so soon.

“I say bring in those restrictions now, national restrictions, within the next 24 hours."

The Prime Minister said on Sunday that the government was keeping Tier 4 measures affecting London and vast swathes of the rest of the UK under constant review.

Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show, Mr Johnson warned: “It may be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country. I’m fully, fully reconciled with that.”