Another 532 people with coronavirus have died across the UK in the latest 24-hour period – compared to 194 a day earlier, government figures show.
It is the highest number recorded since mid-May and brings the total number of deaths in the UK to 49,770.
Another 20,412 people have tested positive for the virus, taking the UK total number to 1,233,775.
On Monday, 194 deaths were reported within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test and 21,350 new cases were confirmed.
Weekly coronavirus deaths have exceeded 1,000 for the first time since June, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.
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In the week ending 30 October, there were 1,379 deaths in England and Wales which mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate – a jump of 41% on the previous week.
Cases and deaths have been on the rise as the winter period approaches, with areas including Oldham, Blackburn with Darwen and Merthyr Tydfil having the highest rates of infection currently.
However, there has been a renewed hope that things could be looking better by spring next year as a major vaccine breakthrough was announced on Monday.
Data from the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine candidate, developed by US and German researchers, has found it is 90% effective in preventing people from getting the virus.
Leaders and scientists have urged caution that more analysis needs to be done on the jab’s safety and said it will take months to roll out any potential vaccine, but it is an extraordinary win for scientists.
The UK has already secured 40 million doses of the vaccine candidate and the NHS is being readied to potentially roll it out by the start of next month.
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COVID-19 vaccine: Will it end the crisis?
Meanwhile, the government is also planning to step up its testing plans by allocating 600,000 rapid tests to local authorities.
A mass testing scheme has already been piloted in Liverpool, where people are able to get a COVID-19 test even if they do not have symptoms, but now rapid tests are also being offered to local authorities across the country.