Coronavirus: Another 6,914 cases and 59 deaths recorded in UK

Another 6,914 coronavirus cases have been recorded in the UK over the last day - a fall of 194 on yesterday.

The government also said a further 59 people who tested positive for COVID-19 had died, taking the total to 42,202.

Seventy-one coronavirus-related deaths were recorded on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

The death figures record people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, but COVID-19 may not be the actual cause of death in all cases.

Today's positive test figure is 280 more than last Thursday.

The UK breakdown of the latest daily figures:

• England: 5,589 cases; 48 deaths

• Scotland: 668 cases; 3 deaths

• Wales: 398 cases; 6 deaths

• Northern Ireland: 259 cases; 2 deaths

The figures also show that as of Tuesday, there were 2,276 COVID-19 patients in hospital, and 332 people suffering with coronavirus on a ventilator as of Wednesday.

UK infections are still much lower than the peak of the pandemic when some experts, including chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, suggest there were around 100,000 new daily cases.

Only a fraction of the true number of cases are believed to have been picked up as testing was not being done in the community, as it is now.

It comes as new postcode-lockdowns have been announced in Liverpool, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the measures were needed because "in some parts of the country, the virus is spreading fast", with cases increasing to 268 per 100,000 people in Liverpool.

He said the spikes were "highly localised" and that recent actions are having a "positive impact".

"What we're doing to respond to these awful circumstances is starting to work, so don't let up," he said in a Commons statement.

The government also announced that six areas in England had been added to the coronavirus watchlist and two removed.

In other developments, Turkey and Poland have been removed as travel corridors for England, meaning travellers arriving from 4am on Saturday must self-isolate for 14 days.