Coronavirus UK: Cases up by 4,368 in 24 hours

Further 11 deaths linked to the virus, latest data shows

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK has risen by 4,368 across a 24-hour period, according to government figures.

The total infections in the UK since the start of the pandemic now stands at 398,625, a figure that has risen steadily in recent days.

The Department of Health and Social Care said a further 11 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus as of Monday,  bringing the national total to 41,788. 

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have now been 57,500 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

It comes as the nation’s chief scientists warn the rate of fatalities could continue to rise to 200 or more deaths per day if the current rate of infection is not halted.

Sir Patrick Vallance added that the UK could see around 50,000 cases a day by mid-October in such a scenario, noting that the "vast majority of the population remain susceptible" to the virus.

In the first televised address alongside England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty that was not attended by politicians, Sir Patrick said there was "no doubt" the UK was seeing increasing cases of Covid-19 among all age groups.

He said it was "not a prediction", but the current doubling of cases every seven days could lead to a dramatic rise in hospitalisations and deaths.

In mid-September, around 3,000 new cases were recorded every day in the UK, he said.

"If - and that's quite a big if - but if that continues unabated and this grows, doubling every seven days, then what you see, of course, let's say there were 5,000 today, it would be 10,000 next week, 20,000 the week after, 40,000 the week after, and you can see that by mid-October, if that continued, you would end up with something like 50,000 cases in the middle of October, per day."

Additional reporting by agencies