Covid cases in the UK increased by more than 50,000 for the sixth day in a row, as infections doubled in a week

Coronavirus cases have risen by more than 50,000 today, double the increase from last Sunday.

Another 454 deaths were announced this afternoon, along with 54,990 new infections.

It is the sixth consecutive day that the number of new cases exceeds 50,000.

Britain recorded 30,501 infections last Sunday as the highly infectious new strain of the coronavirus spread across the country.

Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer has told Prime Minister Boris Johnson to impose a nationwide lockdown within the next 24 hours.

Sir Keir told reporters: “The virus is clearly out of control.

“And it is no use for the prime minister to hint that further restrictions will be implemented in a week, two or three.”

“That delay has been the source of so much trouble.

“So, I say introduce those restrictions now, national restrictions, within the next 24 hours. That has to be the first step to control the virus.”

It comes after another 448 deaths were recorded in hospitals across the UK today, the biggest Sunday increase since May.

In England, 386 patients died in hospital, while another 6 died in Northern Ireland as a new mutant strain spread across the country.

Public Health Wales reported another 56 deaths, bringing the total in Wales since the start of the pandemic to 3,620.

Another 4,011 coronavirus cases were recorded in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 155,311.

Scotland announced that another 2,464 people have tested positive for coronavirus. It has not reported its latest death toll and will provide new figures on Monday.

The UK recorded more than 50,000 coronavirus cases for the first time on Tuesday after 53,135 new infections were confirmed.