UK coronavirus cases rise by 3,105 over 24-hour period

Increase comes as MPs warn health secretary of testing system ‘mess’

More than 3,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the UK over the last 24-hour period, according to government data.

The government said a further 3,105 people had tested positive for Covid-19 as of 9am on Tuesday, bringing the UK’s total number of cases to 374,228.

Officials also reported a further 27 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the government’s tally of fatalities to 41,664.

However, separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown 57,500 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

Last week, the UK recorded more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases for three consecutive days for the first time since May amid concerns of a second wave of infections.

The daily figures came after MPs questioned Matt Hancock, the health secretary, about the UK’s testing system, which has been described as a “bloody mess”.

Several MPs said constituents had encountered difficulties when trying to secure a test, with some people being told to travel hundreds of miles to go to a testing centre.

Mr Hancock said Covid-19 tests in England would be rationed to help the system cope with soaring demand, with “prioritisation” for people with acute clinical need and those in social care settings.

The health secretary noted there were “operational challenges” with testing which the government was working to fix but admitted it might be “a matter of weeks” before the problems with the system are resolved.

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said it was “inevitable” that there would be extra demand on the system with the reopening of schools  and questioned why the government had not used the summer to significantly expand NHS lab capacity.

He also warned that Mr Hancock was at risk of “losing control” of the pandemic.