UK records another 24,957 coronavirus cases with 413 deaths

LONDON — Another 24,957 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 1,171,441, according to official figures released Saturday.

The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 413 to 48,888, the data showed.

Earlier Saturday, Britain has imposed immigration powers against foreign visitors from Denmark following widespread outbreaks of coronavirus in the country's mink farms.

As of 4:00 am (0400 GMT) on Saturday all non-British national or resident travellers who have been in or transited through Denmark in the last 14 days, will be denied entry into Britain.

Britain's coronavirus reproduction number, also known as the R number, currently stands between 1.1 and 1.3, the same as last week's figure, according to the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

The R number is one of many indicators scientists use to determine how fast COVID-19 is spreading in the country.

If the R number is above one, it means the number of cases will increase exponentially.

England on Thursday entered into a month-long national lockdown, the second of its kind since the coronavirus outbreak in Britain, in a bid to quell the resurgence of coronavirus.

Under the lockdown, people in England will only be allowed to leave their homes for specific reasons, such as education, work or food shopping.

Pubs, bars and restaurants will close across the country except for takeaways. Non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure and entertainment venues will also be shut.

Unlike in the first lockdown, schools, colleges and universities will remain open and those who cannot work from home, such as construction or manufacturing workers, will be encouraged to continue going to their workplaces.

To bring life back to normal, countries, such as Britain, China, Russia and the United States, are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines.