The U.K. has surpassed Italy in the number of COVID-19 fatalities to post the world's second highest number after the U.S., figures from the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University show.

COVID-19 related deaths in the U.K. have now surpassed 29,500, with the number of infections going beyond 196,000.

The country's number of infections place it fourth globally in that regard, bettered only by the U.S., Spain and Italy.

Currently, the U.S. still tops the world in the number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, having registered close to 1.2 million cases and 70,115 deaths.

As the U.K.' figures continue to surge, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Tuesday however said there was evidence of a continued flattening of the country's COVId-19 curve, but warned that it "is not over yet."

Raab said the government will continue taking advise from scientists in its response plan.

The Foreign Secretary noted that the impact of the disease had never been felt before.

"We've never experienced anything like this first stage of COVID-19 in terms of the scale of the lives lost, but also the lockdown that it has required," he said.

Source(s): Johns Hopkins University