UK records 9,055 new COVID-19 cases, highest since February

Reuters
Updated ·1 min read
People queue outside a vaccination centre for those aged over 18 at the Belmont Health Centre in Harrow, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain reported its highest daily total of new coronavirus infections since February, adding to signs that a new, more infectious variant of the disease first found in India is spreading.

The government reported a further 9,055 cases on Wednesday, the highest since Feb. 25, and up by almost a fifth compared to a day earlier.

This week, Britain delayed plans to lift most remaining COVID-19 restrictions by a month, saying the extra time would be used to speed up Britain's vaccination programme - already one of the world's furthest advanced.

Britain recorded another nine deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test.

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, editing by Elizabeth Piper)