UK coronavirus death toll rises by 428 to 33,614

More than 3,400 new cases confirmed after 126,000 tests in a day

Another 428 people have died from coronavirus in the UK, bringing the official government total to 33,614.

More than 3,400 new cases were also confirmed after a total of 126,064 tests were carried out in a day.

The total of positive test results across the four nations now stands at 233,151, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Britain’s death toll remains the highest in Europe and the second-highest in the world behind the US. It has the third highest number of cases behind US and Russia.

However the government’s figures are thought to undercount the true number of deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported earlier this week that more than 40,000 people had died of coronavirus in the UK by 9 May, although data suggests there have been 50,000 more deaths than on average.

Scotland announced 34 more deaths on Thursday, bringing its total to 2,007. Wales’ total increased by 10 to 1,164 while Northern Ireland confirmed five more deaths to take the total to 454.

More than 24,159 of the deaths in England took place in hospitals, according to the latest figures from the NHS.

It came as new figures revealed an average of 148,000 people in England had coronavirus at any given time between 27 April and 10 May.

The results of the pilot study suggest an average of 0.27 per cent of the community population – excluding health and care workers – were infected with the virus over the period.

However, among people working with patients in health and social care roles, 1.33 per cent tested positive for Covid-19, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This includes NHS professionals, such as nurses and doctors, as well as social care workers, such as nursing home or home care workers.

Additional reporting by Press Association