Britain records 12,282 Covid cases as second wave continues to flatten

Britain’s daily Covid-19 cases are flattening just a week after the national lockdown, official statistics suggested today, after health chiefs recorded another 12,282 infections.

Department of Health figures have shown cases plummeting over the last fortnight as England’s national lockdown thwarted the outbreak. But the curve began to flatten a week before the draconian measures were lifted, suggesting Britons grew tired of the policies before they were forced into the toughened tier-three system. 

For comparison, 13,430 Britons were added to the Government’s positive tally last Tuesday — meaning today’s figure is a just an 8.5 per cent drop week-on-week. 

Deaths rose, however, as a result of the national lockdown, although they continue to trend downwards overall compared to last week. 

Another 616 victims were posted today, up 2.2 per cent on the 603 registered last Tuesday. Fatalities can lag weeks behind cases because it can take infected patients a fortnight to fall severely ill and succumb to the illness. 

The cases come as ‘V-Day’ gets underway, with Britain embarking on the biggest vaccination drive in its history. Fifty hospitals are geared up to administer Pfizer/BioNTech’s jab to vulnerable over-80s, care home staff and NHS workers.

The daily number of Covid-19 cases rose by 19.4 per cent yesterday compared to last week, in a sign they are creeping up again, after health chiefs recorded another 14,718 infections.