UK records 592 more coronavirus deaths

Latest government figures take total fatalities to 98,531 as 22,195 new cases also reported

The UK has reported another 592 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, bringing the official total to 98,531.

While the number of deaths reported on a Monday is often lower than those reported on other days, this is slightly down on last Monday’s figure of 599. 

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 115,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.

A further 22,195 cases of Covid-19 were also recorded, taking the total number of infections to 3,669,658,  according to Public Health England.

Meanwhile, a total of 6,573,570 people have now received their first vaccine dose and 470,478 have been given their second.

It comes as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed men working in process plants, as security guards or as chefs had some of the highest Covid-19 death rates  in England and Wales between 9 March and 28 December.

Rates of death involving Covid-19 among both male and female social care workers in 2020 were also "statistically significantly higher" than those for the wider working population, the ONS said.

While Covid death rates for men and women working as teaching and educational professionals, such as secondary school teachers, were not statistically significantly raised compared with rates for the wider working population, the ONS found.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the pandemic had exposed "huge inequalities" in the labour market, with those in lower-paid jobs often forced to put themselves at risk.

Additional reporting by PA