Another 32,367 COVID-19 infections and 34 deaths were reported across the UK in the latest 24-hour period.

The figures, released on Saturday, compare with 35,707 COVID cases and 29 deaths the day before - the highest number of infections since 22 January when 40,261 cases were recorded.

Cases in the past week have risen by 30.7 percent compared with the previous week while deaths in that period have risen by 43.1 percent.

Another 88,675 people had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine in the UK on Thursday, taking the total to 45,786,550 - 86.8 percent of the adult population.

A total of 166,883 people had their second jab, meaning 34,541,129 (65.3 percent of adults) are now fully vaccinated.

The number of hospital admissions was 509 on 5 July, the latest data available shows.

In the seven days up to that date, 2,872 people were admitted to hospital, an increase of 55.9 percent on the previous week.

(With input from agencies)