UK records 111 more COVID deaths and 33,904 new infections

The UK has recorded 111 more COVID-related deaths and 33,904 new coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, according to government data.

This compares with 170 deaths reported within 28 days of a positive test yesterday – the highest figure on one day since 12 March – and 26,852 cases.

And this time last week, 29,612 cases and 104 more deaths were recorded.

Since the pandemic started in 2020, a total of 131,260 people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19, while there have been 6,355,887 lab-confirmed infections, the figures show.

Where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, the number of deaths stands at 154,811.

Some 43,824 people got their first coronavirus vaccine shot on Tuesday, meaning 47,413,242 people have had an initial dose.

And with 145,875 follow-up jabs administered, 40,987,846 – or 77.5% of the UK’s adult population – have been fully vaccinated.

According to the latest government data, 773 COVID patients were admitted to hospital on 14 August, and there were 5,623 admissions in the last seven days, a rise of 4.3% compared with the previous week.

It comes as the World Health Organisation said there is still no concrete evidence to recommend booster jabs while millions of people around the world still need first doses.

This runs contrary to US plans to dispense extra doses to Americans eight months after their second Pfizer or Moderna jab.

The UK government expects to give booster shots to the most vulnerable groups from September.

On Tuesday it was revealed that 5% of deaths in England and Wales registered in the week to 6 August mentioned COVID on the death certificate – 527 out of 10,187.

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This is the highest figure since March, when the country was still in lockdown, according to the Office of National Statistics.

But it is still low compared to the depths of the pandemic – in the week to 29 January, 8,433 deaths involving COVID-19 were registered England and Wales.

The UK health regulator has also approved the Moderna vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it is now up to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to advise the government on whether children in that age bracket should be given the jab.

The MHRA said the jab – also known as the Spikevax vaccine – is “safe and effective in this age group”.

At present, some children aged 12 to 15 are only offered the Pfizer COVID jab if they are considered to be clinically vulnerable.

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