UK records another 32,406 coronavirus cases

By Trend

Another 32,406 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,698,486, according to official figures released Saturday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

The country also reported another 133 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 132,376. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest data came as thousands of people are flocking to UK music festivals this weekend as prevalence of virus in England rises to 1 in 70.

Earlier this month, about 4,700 people have tested positive following the Boardmasters Festival in Newquay, with 800 thought to be living in Cornwall, but cases are spread across Britain.

"Music festivals provide an opportunity to import the virus from around the country, as appears to have happened in Newquay with the Boardmasters Festival recently. But they also allow it to be spread further afield when everyone eventually goes home," said Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology, University of Reading.

Meanwhile, a new study carried out by Public Health England (PHE) and Cambridge University suggested people infected with the Delta variant are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital compared to those with the Alpha variant.

More than 88 percent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 78 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.