The UK has recorded 56 more COVID-19 deaths and 4,040 new cases in the latest 24-hour period.

This compares with Monday’s figures of 23 deaths and 4,654 infections.

There is typically an increase in reported deaths on Tuesdays as weekend updates are added in.

A total of 126,670 people in the UK have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, and there have been 4,341,736 lab-confirmed cases since the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, 30,680,948 people have now had a first COVID-19 vaccine dose, while 3,838,010 have had both jabs.

Some 236,119 first shots were administered on Monday.

Also, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show weekly registered coronavirus deaths in England and Wales have fallen to the lowest level since October.

There were 963 deaths registered in the week ending 19 March where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, the ONS said.

It is the lowest number since the week ending 16 October, and the first time the weekly death toll has fallen below 1,000 since the following week.

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