LONDON

Health officials in the UK on Thursday reported more than 30,000 new cases in the past 24 hours in a record single-day rise since the start of the pandemic months ago.

The data released by the authorities also show that the number of new daily cases on Thursday was 33,470.

The number of new daily infections rose by more than 10,000 as the same number was 22,950 on Wednesday.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the weekly average number of COVID-19 cases per day is now 22,524, compared to 22,398 a week ago.

He said 14,196 patients are in hospitals, compared to 12,406 a week ago and the weekly average for deaths is at 378, compared to 295 a week ago.

Sharma also said that the UK purchased 350 million doses of the most promising vaccine candidates.

A national lockdown has been in place in England for a week and is set to end for now on Dec. 2, when it will be reviewed.

The total number of deaths passed on Wednesday the grim milestone of 50,000 as 595 more deaths were recorded on Wednesday./aa