The UK has surpassed 60,000 deaths from coronavirus, according to the Department of Health, after 414 more were recorded on Thursday.
It brings the official death toll to 60,113. However, figures from the UK’s statistics agencies suggest the true number of deaths is more than 76,000.
A further 14,879 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus were also reported, bringing the total number since the start of the pandemic to 1,674,134.
Despite the toll, there are signs that the lockdown had a positive impact.
Covid-19 case rates in England are continuing to fall in all age groups - according to the latest weekly surveillance report from Public Health England.
The highest rate is among 40 to 49 year-olds, which stood at 190.3 cases per 100,000 people in the week to November 29, but this is down from 249.8 in the previous week.
For 70 to 79 year-olds the rate fell from 112.8 to 78.6, while for people aged 80 and over the rate dropped from 220.7 to 182.0.
Meanwhile, Downing Street has said the NHS is working closely with the regulator to find a way to administer the Pfizer vaccine in care homes.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman confirmed the first doses would be administered through 50 hospital hubs and would be given the NHS and care home staff and the over-80s.
“The over-80s include those due to come into hospital for routine treatment, so it is obviously possible that that might include some care home residents,” the spokesman said.
“But it is logistically complicated, which is why the NHS are working closely with the MHRA.”
