UK records another 5,605 coronavirus cases, 98 deaths

Another 5,605 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,312,908, according to official figures released Wednesday.

The country also reported another 98 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 126,382. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

More than 28.6 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures.

Earlier Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said cooperation between Britain and the European Union (EU) is "very important" to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Johnson made the remarks at the House of Commons, lower house of Parliament, as tension between Britain and EU over vaccines supply remains high.

The prime minister said he does not believe blockades "are sensible", adding that the long-term damage done by blockades can be "very considerable".

On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed tougher controls on coronavirus vaccine exports.

According to the plan, any shipment would be assessed on the destination country's rate of vaccinations and vaccine exports.

The plans stop short of a ban but could still trigger tensions with Britain. The EU has accused British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca of failing to honour its contract to supply EU countries.

National Health Service (NHS) England has warned that Britain is going to face a "significant reduction" in vaccine supplies from March 29 onwards.

According to British Health Secretary Matt Hancock, a need to retest 1.7 million vaccine doses as well as delays to doses arriving from India are the reasons why Britain is facing a "tighter" supply in COVID jabs next month.

There is concern that a potential EU ban on the exports of vaccines to Britain will make the situation worse, but the British government has insisted that the country is on course to offer all adults a dose by the end of July.

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 )