NHS England reports 631 new Covid deaths in hospitals – up 123 on same figure a week ago 

A further 704 people have died of coronavirus in hospital settings across the UK, the highest one day rise on a Sunday since the pandemic began.

In England, 631 people who tested positive for coronavirus died, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 60,921, NHS England said on Sunday.

Another 48 died in Wales, and 25 in Northern Ireland. No new deaths were reported in Scotland on Sunday.   

The official government figures will be released later but the hospital deaths already make today the deadliest Sunday of the pandemic. 

In England, patients who died were aged between 29 and 103. All except 31, aged between 46 and 93, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between November 5 and January 16.

There were 36 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.