The UK has recorded yet another daily high of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.

As of 9am on Thursday, there had been a further 55,892 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

Just two days ago, the number of cases which was considered the highest daily total since the beginning of the pandemic was at 53,135.

Today’s tally brings the total number of cases in the UK to 2,488,780.

A further 964 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Thursday, bringing the UK total to 73,512.

Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 89,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England Medical Director, said: “We know the overwhelming majority of deaths reported today are people who sadly passed away in just the last few days. Every life lost to this disease is a sadness. It is imperative we all take action now to protect our families and our friends.

“We have all had to make huge sacrifices this year, but please ensure that you keep your distance from others, wash your hands and wear a mask. A night in at New Year will mean you are significantly reducing your social contacts and can help stop the spread of the virus.”