UK reports 17,224 Covid cases as deaths drop to 304

Coronavirus hospital ward (PA Wire)
Coronavirus hospital ward (PA Wire)

The UK reported a further 17,224 Covid cases on Wednesday as infections continue to fall from the March peak.

While more than 17,000 cases were reported, there were 304 deaths within 28 days of a positive test - a fall from the previous day.

Although infections rose from the 16,579 reported on April 26, it is still significantly less than the 226,524 recorded on March 21.

Over the last seven days, 122,131 cases have been reported across the UK which is 52,851 less than the previous week and amounts to a 30 per cent fall.

According to the UK’s Covid dashboard, 147 fewer deaths were reported on Wednesday after 451 were reported on April 26.

Over the last seven days, however, 2,062 deaths have been reported which is an icnrease of 722 from the previous week - a 53.9 per cent rise.

A further 1,186 hospital admissions were also recorded as of April 23.

Over the last week, 10,160 have been reported which is 3,207 less than the previous seven days.

In London, 735 cases were recorded which was a fall from the 1,568 reported on April 25 and amounts to 10,698 over the last seven days.

For deaths, just four were recorded on April 26, taking the seven-day total to 111.

Meanwhile, health professionals have linked a recent surge in hepatitis cases in children to the onset of Covid lockdowns.

The number of investigated cases of “acute hepatitis of unknown origin” in children under the age of 10 has risen to 114, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Public health officials said a lack of exposure to common infections during children’s “formative” years, due to social distancing and lockdown restrictions, may explain the global outbreak in cases of the disease that has killed one child worldwide.