UK records another 12,057 coronavirus cases, 454 deaths

Another 12,057 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,083,242, according to official figures released Thursday.

The country also reported another 454 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 119,387. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest figures were revealed as more than 16.4 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine. Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi has said the government would "not rest" until the vaccine was offered to all over-50s by the end of April.

Earlier Thursday, a study showed that the number of people infected with coronavirus in England has dropped by more than two thirds since January, but infections still remain high.

Infections have fallen across the country and several areas experienced a substantial decline, including London and the South East, where five times fewer people are now testing positive compared to previous findings in January, according to data from the REACT (REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission) study of Imperial College London.

But infections are still high with around one in 200 people testing positive, said the study based on swab tests by almost 85,000 people between Feb. 4 and Feb. 13.

England is currently under the third national lockdown since outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to unveil his "roadmap" out of lockdown on Monday next week.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. (/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )