THE number of daily coronavirus cases has jumped by 2,988, government figures show — the biggest 24-hour rise since May.

A further two people died after testing positive for Covid-19 over the same period, taking the total death toll to 41,551, the Government said.

Some 175,687 people were tested overall out of a total testing capacity of 369,937.

It came after UK regional health authorities announced a further three people had died in hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.

All three people who died were in hospitals in England.

No deaths were recorded in Scotland and Wales, while Northern Ireland does not update its death tally on weekends.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: A poster showing the symptoms of coronavirus

The number of deaths reported on the weekend is typically smaller than other days due to a lag in official records.

The number of daily infections began topping 1,000 during August and has since been steadily increasing, with 1,940 cases on Friday, 1,735 on Thursday and 1,508 on Wednesday.

The Government announcement varies from the hospital figures because it includes deaths in all settings and can cover different reporting periods.