The UK has recorded 40,954 new COVID cases and 263 more coronavirus-related deaths in the latest period, government data shows.

However, the figures include 72 hours of data from Wales, due to technical issues at Public Health Wales – the UK total is inflated by the number of deaths that should have been recorded over the last three days.

Yesterday 36,567 infections and 38 deaths were reported in the UK.

This time last week, the UK recorded 43,738 new infections and 223 fatalities – the highest daily number of deaths since early March.

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Since the pandemic began early last year, a total of 139,834 people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19.

It comes as the Department of Health’s chief scientific adviser Professor Lucy Chappell claimed a COVID Plan C “has been proposed”.

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“The name has been mentioned,” she told the Commons Science and Technology Committee on Tuesday.

“It is not being extensively worked up. People have used the phrase.”

Meanwhile, a government spokesperson has insisted reports that Boris Johnson’s COVID Plan B plan could last up to five months, until the end of March 2022, are “untrue” and “do not reflect government policy”.

It comes after the Politico website claimed the prime minister was told his contingency plan could cost up to £18bn.

A government statement added: “We knew the coming months would be challenging, which is why we set out our autumn and winter plan last month.

“Plan B ensures we are ready, should we need to act, to avoid an unsustainable rise in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.”

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