Britain reported 146 new deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test on Tuesday, the highest daily total since March 12, as the impact of last month's surge in cases fed through into fatalities, government data showed.
The number of new cases reported on Tuesday fell to 23,510 from 25,161 on Monday - less than half the peak of 54,674 recorded on July 17, shortly before most social distancing measures were removed in England.
But coronavirus cases have begun to creep up again, with 196,047 Britons infected with COVID-19 in the past week, 7% more than the week before and the highest rolling seven-day total this month.