Number of new Covid cases remains high in Milton Keynes today

Another 208 people have had a positive test for Covid in the past 24 hours in MK.

Sadly, over the past week, five local people have died and had Covid-19 written on their death certificate.

MK's case rate (the number of cases per 100,000 population) has risen to 520.7, which is above the national average of 439.4.

No cases of the new Omicron variant have been detected in Milton Keynes but a further eight cases of the new variant have been identified elsewhere in the UK today, bringing the total to 22.

The new cases are in the East Midlands, East of England, London and North West. Nine cases are in Scotland - five in the Lanarkshire area and four in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

Nationally there were 39,716 positive Covid tests over the past 24 hours and159 virus-linked deaths have been recorded.

30 patients are currently in MK hospital, with one of them on a ventilator.