Advertisement
Australia markets closed
  • ALL ORDS

    8,153.70
    +80.10 (+0.99%)
     
  • ASX 200

    7,896.90
    +77.30 (+0.99%)
     
  • AUD/USD

    0.6516
    -0.0002 (-0.03%)
     
  • OIL

    83.11
    -0.06 (-0.07%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,254.80
    +16.40 (+0.73%)
     
  • Bitcoin AUD

    107,319.60
    -659.87 (-0.61%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • AUD/EUR

    0.6037
    +0.0003 (+0.05%)
     
  • AUD/NZD

    1.0903
    +0.0001 (+0.01%)
     
  • NZX 50

    12,105.29
    +94.63 (+0.79%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    18,254.69
    -26.15 (-0.14%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,952.62
    +20.64 (+0.26%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    39,807.37
    +47.29 (+0.12%)
     
  • DAX

    18,492.49
    +15.40 (+0.08%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,369.44
    +201.37 (+0.50%)
     

UK records 7,490 new Covid cases and eight deaths

New infections have soared since the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant  (PA Wire)
New infections have soared since the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant (PA Wire)

The UK recorded 7,490 new Covid cases and eight more deaths on Sunday, official figures show.

It is the fifth day in a row that new infections have exceeded 7,000.

The rise in infections is largely down to the spread of the Delta variant first detected in India that now makes up around 90 per cent of cases.

Experts believe it is 60 per cent more transmissible than the Kent variant.

Boris Johnson has said the spread of the new variant is a matter of “serious, serious concern”.

The Prime Minister is expected to announce a delay of up to four weeks in the final easing of restrictions in England which had been due to take place on June 21 under the Government’s road map.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking during the G7 summit in Cornwall, he insisted that no decisions had been taken ahead of a formal announcement on Monday.

However he made clear that there had been a deterioration in the situation, with a surge in cases of the Delta variant – first detected in India – since the start of the month.

“It’s clear that the Indian variant is more transmissible and it’s also true that the cases are going up, and that the levels of hospitalisation are going up,” he told Sky News.

“Now, we don’t know exactly to what extent that is going to feed through into extra mortality, but clearly it’s a matter of serious, serious concern.”

Asked if he was less optimistic now than he was at the end of May, he said: “Yes, that’s certainly fair.

“What we want to do is make sure that the road map is irreversible, but you can’t have an irreversible road map unless you’re prepared to be cautious.

“Some of the data is still open to question, but we’ll be making an announcement on Monday.”

Meanwhile, a further 254,185 first vaccine doses were administered on Saturday, along with 320,326 second jabs.

The total number of people who have had at least one vaccine dose now stands at 41,551,201 - 78.9 per cent of adults, while 29,792,658 people have had two jabs, which is 56.6 per cent of UK adults.

Read More

Hard Rock Café UK secures lifeline to ride out restrictions

Bringing second dose of AstraZeneca forward by 4 weeks ‘makes sense’

Lockdown easing to be delayed by 4 weeks as wedding cap increases