A FURTHER 209 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died across the UK, in the latest figures released by health authorities.

The jump in coronavirus-related deaths in the UK from 1,019 to 1,228 is an increase of 209 - the second biggest day-on-day rise in the number of deaths since the outbreak began.

It means the total number of deaths is 21 per cent higher than the equivalent figure yesterday. The day-on-day percentage increase yesterday was 34 per cent.

It took 16 days for the number of deaths in the UK to go from one to just over 200. It has taken a further eight days for the total to go from just over 200 to just over 1,200.

Meanwhile, the number of people in the UK who have been tested for coronavirus has now passed 125,000. The total as of 9am on March 29 was 127,737.

On average, around 7,000 new tests a day were carried out in the seven days to 9am March 29.

In the previous seven days the daily average was around 5,400.

The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK now stands at 19,522, as of 9am March 29.

One week ago, on March 22, the total stood at 5,683.