Covid cases and Covid-linked deaths rise significantly again in Milton Keynes

Coronavirus infections are rising across the UK, including in Milton Keynes.

Latest government figures show there were 410,173 positive cases in the UK in the week ending 10 March, a 56% rise from the week before.

During the same week, cases in MK rose by 64.4% - from 990 to1630.

Since then numbers have continued to rise. Over the past seven days 2,012 new cases have been confirmed in Milton Keynes - an average of 287 a day.

During the same period, nine Covid-linked deaths have been recorded. All these occurred within 38 days of the person received a positive Covid test.

Currently there are 77 patients with the virus in Milton Keynes Hospital.

In total, since the start of the pandemic, there have been 88,363 cases recorded in MK and 576 deaths.

It is less than three weeks since 'Freedom Day', when all Covid restrictions were lifted.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the time that "Covid will not suddenly disappear" but highlighted the success of the vaccine roll-out when explaining his decision to remove restrictions.