UK COVID-19 cases up 44% in past week

LONDON - The United Kingdom reported 90,418 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday - down from a record of just over 93,000 on Friday - and 125 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, government statistics showed on Saturday.

Cases were up 44.4% over the seven days to Dec. 18 compared with the previous week. Deaths, which typically lag changes in case numbers, were down by nearly 6% over the same period.