Since the pandemic began, more than 150,000 people have died within 28 days of a positive Covid test in the UK. The government reported 313 deaths on Saturday, bringing the total to 150,057.
After the US, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru, the UK is the seventh country to reach 150,000 reported deaths.
146,390 new cases have also been documented in the UK, mainly due to the more transmittable Omicron strain. In the past week, 1,271 people have died within 28 days of a positive test, an increase of 38.3% over the previous week.
While acknowledging the pressure on parts of the NHS will be temporary, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hopes England can ride out the current wave of infections without additional restrictions.
Currently, there are Plan B restrictions in place throughout England, including the requirement to wear face masks in most public indoor spaces, Covid passes for some large venues and the recommendation to work from home when possible.
