LONDON (Reuters) – Britain has reported the lowest number of new daily coronavirus infections since the beginning of the year on Saturday, adding signs that a national blockade is slowing the spread of a more infectious variant of the disease.
However, the effect of the recent increase in cases remains clear on the death toll, which was the third highest on record. Health experts have warned that it is yet to increase.
Government figures showed that the number of people tested positive was 41,346, compared with 55,761 on Friday. It was the lowest daily reading since December 27, when fewer people were taking the test during the holiday period.
Deaths continue to increase rapidly, however, with another 1,295 recorded on Saturday, bringing the total number of deaths recorded in 28 days after a positive test to 88,590.
Britain has the highest death toll in Europe – although more have died in Italy and Belgium on a per capita basis. Chris Witty, the government’s chief medical officer, alerted the public on Friday that the number of daily deaths had not yet peaked.
The country has been under a national blockade since January 5, when schools were closed to most students, non-essential businesses were closed to the public and people were forced to work from home whenever possible.
In its last action to control infections, the government ordered all travelers to Britain as of Monday to present a certificate proving that they did not have coronavirus, as well as having to be quarantined for 10 days on arrival.
Britain is pinning its hopes on a rapid launch of vaccines for people over 70 and other vulnerable groups. Government data showed on Saturday that almost 3.6 million people received a dose of the vaccine, the highest in Europe and an increase of 324,000 the previous day.
The country plans to give the first doses of vaccines to 15 million people in high-risk categories by mid-February.
Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Mike Harrison