UK

Parts of the UK could see two months’ worth of average rainfall in just two-and-a-half days as Storm Christoph moves across the country. Heavy rain is set to bring significant flooding, while some areas can also expect high winds and snow. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings of heavy rain for much of the

Boris Johnson has told MPs he will chair a meeting of the COBRA emergency committee in response to Storm Christoph. The prime minister addressed the Commons amid warnings the UK could see two months’ worth of average rainfall in just two-and-a-half days as the storm moves across the country. Heavy rain is set to bring

A further 1,610 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 – the highest number of UK deaths on a single day since the outbreak began. Meanwhile, a further 33,355 confirmed coronavirus cases were also recorded in the past 24 hours, according to Public Health England (PHE). That compares with figures released

At least one in eight people in England had had COVID-19 by December last year, new survey data estimates. The figures for private households come from the Office for National Statistic’s COVID-19 Infection Survey in partnership with the University of Oxford, University of Manchester, Public Health England and Wellcome Trust. They are based on the

The youngest victim of the Manchester Arena bombing could have survived if she had received faster medical treatment from paramedics, the inquiry has heard. Police officers were reduced to shouting over the radio in their desperation for ambulance staff to come and help them at the scene of the bombing, the inquiry was told. Two

Twenty-four hour vaccination sites will be piloted in London before the end of January, the vaccines minister has said. Speaking to Sky News, Nadhim Zahawi said the NHS will be “targeting forensically who we want to protect” to ensure the most vulnerable people can be vaccinated first. He said that as there is “limited supply”

Those aged over 70 and the clinically extremely vulnerable will be invited to receive coronavirus vaccinations starting this week. More than 3.8 million people, including those over 80, care home residents, and NHS staff, have already had the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. But from Monday, the programme will be rolled out for the

Ten new vaccination centres are due to open in England on Monday as the drive continues to protect the population against COVID-19. They will join the seven existing mass vaccination sites across the country, alongside 1,000 GP-led surgeries and more than 250 hospitals already providing jabs. The new centres will be in: Bournemouth International Centre

The UK has recorded another 1,295 coronavirus deaths and a further 41,346 infections, latest government figures show. It brings the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test to 88,590. A total of 3,357,361 cases have now been recorded. The latest daily death figure is the UK’s third-highest of the pandemic, although

David Parrott is just 19 years old and he sits in isolation wearing an oxygen mask that help his COVID-ravaged lungs to breathe. Sitting alone in Bay 5 gives him too much time to think. And his young head is full of worrying thoughts about how his health might be permanently damaged. “I’m only 19

The UK has recorded another 1,280 coronavirus-related deaths bringing the total to 87,295, latest government figures show. As of 9am on Friday, there had been a further 55,761 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK – bringing the total number to 3,316,019. Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where COVID-19 has

Small firms are cheering a Supreme Court ruling that appears set to force insurers to pay out on disputed coronavirus business interruption claims potentially worth £1.2bn. Judges were asked to set the parameters for valid claims from various policies following a test case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with the support of eight

The UK’s largest temporary morgue is preparing to open to cope with rising coronavirus deaths, while another set up in a former aircraft hangar during the first wave of the pandemic is now in use for the first time. The facility at the former RAF Coltishall base, northeast of Norwich, was unneeded when it was

People who have had COVID-19 may have some immunity for several months but can still get reinfected and transmit the virus, according to a new study. The Public Health England (PHE) Siren report shows that antibodies from past coronavirus infections provide 83% protection for at least five months. It means those who contracted the disease

Another 1,564 coronavirus deaths have been reported in the UK – the highest daily figure since the pandemic began following the late addition of some data going as far back as May. The previous highest increase was 1,325, which was reported on 8 January. It takes the total number of deaths within 28 days of

Britons should be entitled to two weeks’ paid bereavement leave following the death of a partner or close relative, campaigners say. The government is facing calls to introduce statutory bereavement leave for grieving employees amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 83,000 people in the UK so far. A group