LONDON, Dec 30 — Britain recorded more than 50,000 coronavirus cases overnight for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world, according to official figures released Tuesday.
Another 53,135 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, marking a new record daily increase in coronavirus cases in the country, according to the official figures.
The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,382,865, reports Xinhua news agency citing the data showed.
Another 414 have died within 28 days of a positive test, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain to 71,567.
The latest figures were revealed as a scientist advising the British government warned Tuesday that “decisive” national action is needed to prevent a “catastrophe” in the new year.
Britain is “entering a very dangerous new phase of the pandemic” due to the spread of a new coronavirus variant, said Prof Andrew Hayward, a member of the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG).
“We’re going to need decisive, early, national action to prevent a catastrophe in January and February,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“The previous levels of restrictions that worked before won’t work now, and so Tier Four restrictions are likely to be necessary, or even higher than that”.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce any changes to England’s tier restrictions on Wednesday.
Source: BERNAMA