Another 312 Covid cases in Milton Keynes today as the city waits to see if even tighter restrictions are to come

The city's infection rate is now 874.4, with 2,356 people catching the virus in the seven days leading up until New Year's Eve.

Over Saturday and Sunday, another 718 people tested positive for the virus in MK.

There have been no new deaths in the city for several days. But 193 people are ill enough to be in MK hospital, with six of them needed ventilation.

The total number of cases in MK since the start of the pandemic now stands at 11,515 and the city's death toll is 256.

Nationally 54,990 people tested positive today and there were 454 Covid-linked deaths.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to address the nation at 8pm after hinting this morning that tougher measures are needed to tackle rising Covid infections caused by the new variant.

Milton Keynes now has one of the highest infection rates in the South East region and schools were not allowed to re-open today. The city was declared a Major Incident area at 3pm today. See Citizen story here .