Britain records 739 COVID-19 fatalities in 24 hours; death toll rises to over 27, 500

The death toll due to coronavirus in the United Kindom shot up to 739 fatalities in the last 24 hours with the death toll crossing 27,500 on Friday.

There are 172, 481 infected cases in the United Kingdom, according to Johns Hopkins coronavirus resource centre's live tracker.

According to Britain's, Office for National Statistics (ONS) the "disadvantaged areas" in Britain have suffered twice the amount of deaths compared to those areas which have better income, health, education, and crime record.

"People living in more deprived areas have experienced COVID-19 mortality rates more than double those living in less deprived areas," Nick Stripe, ONS head of health analysis,s said, adding,"general mortality rates are normally higher in more deprived areas, but so far COVID-19 appears to be taking them higher still."

The ONS said London had the highest mortality rate in the country, with 85.7 deaths per 100,000 with east London borough of Newham worst hit, with 144.3 deaths per 100,000 people.

PM Johnson had said on Thursday that Britain was past the the peak of deaths even as the death toll continued to rise in Britain.

"For the first time, we are past the peak of this disease... and we are on the downward slope," he told reporters.

"We are coming through the peak or rather we are coming over what could have been a vast peak, as though we have been going through some huge Alpine tunnel," the British PM said, adding, "and we can now see the sunlight and the pastures ahead of us. So it's vital that we don't now lose control and run slap into a second and even bigger mountain."