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The death toll from coronavirus in the UK has risen by 533, the lowest number on Friday since the week before Christmas.
It is more than 200 less than last Friday, although proportionally the cases are not falling that fast.
Infection figures also increased by 12,027 in the 24 hours through Friday.
The youngest person to die was only 13 years old.
The patients who died from the virus in hospitals in England were between 13 and 103 years old.
All but 26, ranging in age from 13 to 96, had known underlying health problems.
The total number of victims nationwide records deaths in all settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and the community at large.
The tragic death toll includes 481 in England, 31 in Scotland, 16 in Wales and five in Northern Ireland.
Last Friday 758 deaths and an increase of 13,494 infections in 24 hours were announced.
Today’s figure is the lowest daily increase on a Friday since December 18, when 489 people lost their lives to Covid-19.
The previous Friday, February 5, 1,014 people died compared to 1,245 the previous week.
(Image: Press Association Images)
It occurs when the UK ‘R’ rate falls between 0.6 and 0.9, the lowest transmission rate recorded since last summer.
Boris Johnson is ready to draw his map to get out of lockdown on Monday.
The prime minister has said he cannot promise that the third national shutdown will be England’s last.
But it is expected to outline the key dates for a gradual reopening of the economy, starting with schools.
He warned that the exit from the lockdown will be ‘cautious’, even as the R drops below one for the first time since last summer, which means that transmission is slowing down.
(Image: PA)
The current ‘R’ number means, on average, that every 10 infected people will infect between six and nine more people.
It is the first time it has been below one since last July.
It comes after months of restrictions imposed in the four nations and a national launch of vaccines.
Today’s figures show that nearly 16.7 million have received a first dose of the jab.
Independent Sage experts have urged the prime minister to wait to lift the restrictions until the number of new confirmed cases falls below 100 per 100,000.
The group, which was created to mirror the government’s Sage advisory group, said a functional testing, tracking and isolation system would still be needed even as more people gain immunity to vaccines.
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