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UK coronavirus cases top 460,000 as another 6,914 confirmed

Europe Materials 2 October 2020 02:01 (UTC +04:00)

Another 6,914 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 460,178, according to official figures released Thursday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

The coronavirus-related deaths rose by 59 to 42,202, the data showed.

The figures were revealed as stricter rules are being extended in parts of northern England, the area hit hardest by coronavirus in Britain.

Tougher coronavirus restrictions, including a legal ban on different households meeting indoors, will be introduced in Liverpool, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough from Saturday.

In a statement to the House of Commons (lower house of parliament), British Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday urged people in these areas to travel only when it is essential -- for example to school and work, and not to attend sports events as spectators.

"I know individual rules are challenging but they are necessary and there are early signs they are working," Hancock said.

"What we're doing to respond to these awful circumstances is starting to work, so don't let up," he added.

Also on Thursday, British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that Turkey and Poland have been added to England's quarantine list, meaning that travellers from those countries will have to self-isolate for two weeks from 4:00 a.m. BST (0300 GMT) on Saturday.

A recent research by Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori showed the R number, which shows the virus reproduction rate, fell from 1.7 to 1.1 since the beginning of last month, indicating that the "rule of six" and other restriction measures appear to be working.

The figures also showed around one in 200 people in England were infected with coronavirus.

At least 16 million people are now living under some form of enhanced restriction, according to Sky News.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia and the United States, are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines.

The British government's Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance has said that it is possible that some vaccine could be available in small amounts later this year, but it is more likely that a vaccine will be available early next year, although that is not guaranteed.

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