73 new Covid cases in 72 hours in Milton Keynes

Between late afternoon on Friday and 4pm yesterday (Sunday), 43 new cases were recorded within the borough.

Now, over the past 24 hours, Public Health England figures show another 30 cases.

This brings the total to 1,588 cases in MK since the start of the pandemic.

On Friday Milton Keynes Council leader Pete Marland warned that the rising figures could lead to the city entering a higher alert level with much tighter restrictions,.

He said in his weekly Covid-19 update: "We are seeing worrying trends this week. Early indications are that as many as 40 people tested positive in a single day. If this rate of increase in our numbers continues unchecked, it's inevitable we will enter a higher alert level and further restrictions will be imposed."

Nationally, today shows another 18,804 new cases and 80 deaths. Currently 5,608 patients are in hospitals throughout the UK with Covid and 592 of them are in ventilator beds.

Over the past 24 hours, 988 new patients have been admitted.