Yahoo Finance New Covid-19 cases now below 50,000 for four consecutive days as 48,682 more infections are reported
Some 48,682 new Covid-19 infections have been announced by Public Health England - a slight rise on the 47,525 cases reported on Wednesday.
It brings the country’s total cases to 3,260,258 and means daily coronavirus cases have been kept below 50,000 for four consecutive days.
The publication of the latest deaths data has been delayed due to a "processing issue", PHE added.
It follows separate figures from the agency showing a 17 per cent drop in London’s overall rate of coronavirus infections.
According to PHE’s weekly surveillance report, the capital’s rate of new Covid-19 cases stood at 864.9 per 100,000 people in the seven days to January 10.
That compares with 1,043.9 recorded in the previous week.
While infections may be peaking, the number of people in hospital seriously ill with coronavirus continues to rise. As of 8am, a record 32,925 Covid-19 patients were being treated in hospitals in England.
The figure is up 17 per cent on a week ago, and up 86% since Christmas Day.
In London, the number stands at a record 7,840 patients, up eight per cent in a week, while in the Midlands the number is 5,799, also a record, up 28 per cent, according to NHS England.
South-east England has 5,487 patients, up nine per cent; eastern England has 4,303, up 11 per cent; north-west England has a record 3,912, up 26 per cent; north-east England/Yorkshire has 3,455, up 18 per cent; and south-west England has a record 2,129, up 37 per cent.
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