Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The number of new cases of coronavirus infection detected per day in the UK made up 51,300, which was the highest figure since the beginning of the pandemic. This is evidenced by data published on Tuesday on the government information website, TASSreported.

A day earlier, more than 41 thousand cases of infection were recorded in the United Kingdom, which was the previous anti-record. Since 19 December, this figure has not dropped below 30 thousand cases per day. Over the past seven days, the number of cases reported in the country has increased by 23% compared to the previous seven-day period. Public Health England has expressed extreme concern about the "unprecedented" incidence.

The number of deaths in the last 24 hours was 414 (up from 357 on Sunday). In total, more than 71.5 thousand people died in the UK, which is the second largest figure in Europe after Italy. The number of detected cases of infection approached 2.4 million.

The increase in the incidence of COVID-19 noted in the country is associated with the spread of a mutated strain of coronavirus, which, according to preliminary estimates of experts, may be 70% more infectious.

The new strain quickly becomes dominant. In London, south-east England and Wales, it now accounts for the majority of new infections. This forces the authorities to take tough measures aimed at fighting the infection. It is expected that this week the restrictions will be tightened again, and in the territory where more than 2/3 of the population of England live, the highest - the fourth - level of threat of the spread of the virus will operate.

The maximum level of restrictions includes a ban on the operation of shops that do not sell essential goods, hairdressers and gyms, in addition to previously closed restaurants, pubs and cafes. People are forbidden to leave their homes without a good reason, as well as to leave the regions with the most unfavorable epidemiological situation. The government does not exclude that a new - fifth - level of threat may soon be introduced, it will provide for the closure of schools and universities that have continued to work since September.