The UK has recorded another 34,950 COVID-19 cases and 133 deaths in the latest 24-hour period, government figures show.

That compares to 127 deaths and 36,060 infections yesterday, and 121 and 30,301 this time last week.

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A total of 49,132,678 people have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine (85.4% of the population aged 12 and over), after a further 30,944 jabs were given yesterday.

A further 28,404 people have now had both doses, bringing the number of those fully vaccinated to 45,135,589 (78.5%).

According to the latest data, there are 6,763 people in hospital with coronavirus, 808 of whom are on ventilators.

Meanwhile, education unions have called for the reintroduction of extra safety measures in schools after official estimates showed around 270,000 secondary pupils had COVID-19 last week.

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The demand for action came as an expert warned about the level of coronavirus circulating among older children.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that around one in 15 children in school years 7 to 11 in England are estimated to have had COVID in the week to 2 October.

This was the highest positivity rate for any age group and up from one in 20 during the previous seven-day period.

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