Covid-19 : UK death toll passes 10,000

The UK has recorded 710 new coronavirus deaths, taking the total number of people who have died in hospital with the virus past 10,000. There have now been 10,647 fatalities reported across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - according to figures released by NHS England. NHS Scotland said there had been 24 more deaths, In Wales there have been a 18 further deaths and Northern Ireland's death toll has increased by 11 - each country’s health authority said. It comes as one of the country's top medical advisers said the UK is still in "round one" in the fight against coronavirus, and tackling the spread of the disease will be more a marathon than a sprint, NHS England medical director Stephen Powis said that while vaccine development is under way and there had been progress with drug treatments, there will be no "magical solution" to end the lockdown.