UK reports 6,178 new COVID-19 cases, highest figure since May 1

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain reported 6,178 new daily cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest number of infections since May 1, government data showed.

Officials also said there had been 37 deaths of people within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, the same number as on Tuesday which itself was the most recorded since July 14.

The number of coronavirus cases has been soaring in Britain, prompting the government on Tuesday to announce a series of new restrictions in a bid to curb a second wave of the outbreak.

The official statistics showed 409,729 people had tested positive for the virus with 41,862 deaths.

(Reporting by Michael Holden and Paul Sandle; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)