Coronavirus: PM addresses nation as number of hospital patients at record high

In a press briefing today the Government's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty revealed that one in 50 people had covid between December 27 and January 2.

• Read more: Another record increase as almost 700 new coronavirus cases confirmed in Dorset

Meanwhile the number of patients in hospitals in England is now 40 per cent higher than at the first peak in April.

Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said ONS figures show that more than two per cent of the population is currently infected with Covid-19 - which is over one million people in England.

In London an estimated one in 30 people in private households had Covid-19 between December 27 and January 2 according to the Office for National Statistics.

The figure for south-west England is one in 135. In south-east England, eastern England and north-west England it is estimated to be one in 45; for the East Midlands it is one in 50; for north-east England one in 60; and for the West Midlands and Yorkshire & the Humber one in 65.

Death rate rise

The second national lockdown was triggered by an increase in deaths, which subsequently decreased - but deaths are now increasing again.

• Read more: Six further deaths in Dorset hospitals

The current number of deaths still remains lower than the first peak last year - however the Government said this is due to medical advancements, age and the delay before death for some. 

"We will inevitably see people who will die from Covid-19 as we go into January," says Professor Chris Whitty. 

Vaccination update

The Prime Minister vowed to use "every second" under the stringent restrictions to put an "invisible shield" around the elderly and vulnerable through a mass vaccination programme.

He said that, so far, more than 1.3 million people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 across the UK, including 23 per cent of all the over 80s in England.

Over 1.3 million people across the UK have been vaccinated so far - and the NHS is committed to offering vaccinations to those in the top four priority groups by February 15, the Government said.

The PM said 595 GP sites are now offering vaccines with more coming this week.

The Government will be giving daily vaccine updates from Monday, January 11.

Warnings of further lockdown

Earlier today senior Cabinet minister Michael Gove warned that the current national lockdown could extend into March.

It comes after the Prime Minister yesterday raised the prospect that the vaccination programme being rolled out across the country could enable restrictions to be progressively eased from mid-February.

But, in a round of broadcast interviews this morning, Mr Gove said relaxation of the rules may have to wait until the following month - and that even then some measures may have to remain in place.

"We will keep these constantly under review, but we can't predict with certainty that we will be able to lift restrictions in the week commencing February 15-22," he told Sky News.

"What we will be doing is everything that we can to make sure that as many people as possible are vaccinated, so that we can begin to progressively lift restrictions.

"I think it is right to say that, as we enter March, we should be able to lift some of these restrictions, but not necessarily all."

And this evening professor Chris Whitty warned of the possibility of another lockdown next winter.

The Chief Medical Officer said: “If we did not do the things all of us must now do, if people don’t take the ‘stay at home’ message seriously the risk at this point in time, in the middle of winter, with this new variant is extraordinarily high.

“What is going to happen over time is the risk level is gradually going to decrease, it’s not going to be really bad and then suddenly it stops.

“We’re going to essentially going to have the risk walking down a path, things will be able to be lifted by degrees, possibly at different rates in different parts in the country.”

Speaking about the current lockdown, Boris Johnson said: "I believe that when everybody looks at the position, people understand overwhelmingly that we have no choice.

"When the Office of National Statistics (ONS) is telling us that more than 2 per cent of the population is now infected - that's over one million people in England."

In other developments:
- The UK recorded 60,916 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases as of 9am on Tuesday - the highest daily total reported so far.
- A further 830 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, the Government said.
- Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a £4.6 billion support package for businesses across the UK, with one-off top-up grants worth up to £9,000 for firms in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.