Covid: UK passes milestone of 100,000 deaths
More than 100,000 people have died with Covid-19 in the UK, after 1,631 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded in the daily figures.
It means a total of 100,162 deaths have been recorded in the UK, the first European nation to pass the landmark.
The UK is the fifth country to pass 100,000 deaths, coming after the US, Brazil, India and Mexico.
It follows a surge in cases last month, leaving the UK with one of the highest coronavirus death rates globally.
The number of cases in the UK has been falling in recent days, but the number of people in hospital remains high, as do the UK’s daily death figures.
Earlier, figures from the ONS, which are based on death certificates, showed there had been nearly 104,000 deaths since the pandemic began.
The government’s daily figures rely on positive tests and are slightly lower.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to lead a Downing Street press conference with England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty and NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens at about 17:00 GMT.
It’s a terrible milestone – and one that represents unimaginable loss.
However you look at it, the UK has seen one of the highest death tolls in the world.
From death certificates, we know in nine out of 10 cases Covid is judged by doctors to be the cause of death, not just a contributory factor.
People are dying of the disease, not just with it.
What is also clear is that Covid has preyed on the vulnerable.
Three quarters of deaths have been among the over 75s. Just 1% have been in under 45s.
Those with underlying health conditions have been at particular risk.
Most of the deaths have come in two waves – the sharp, sudden surge in the spring followed by a slow and sustained rise throughout autumn and winter.
Mistakes have been made – the delay locking down back in March is one that is often cited even by the government’s own advisers.
The UK, like much of Europe, was also woefully underprepared with limited testing and contact tracing systems.
But the ageing population, high rates of obesity, the fact the UK is a global hub and its inter-connectedness with Europe are also factors that meant we were tragically never going to escape lightly once the virus got a foothold.
-BBC