The UK has become the first country in Europe to pass 30,000 coronavirus deaths, according to the latest government figures.
A total of 30,076 people have now died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for the virus, up by 649 from Tuesday.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said they were “heartbreaking losses”.
On Tuesday, the number of deaths recorded in the UK passed Italy’s total, becoming the highest in Europe.
The latest total for Italy, which also records deaths of those who have tested positive for the virus, stands at 29,684.
The UK now has the second-highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths in the world, behind the United States which has more than 70,000.
Experts have warned that it could be months before full global comparisons can be made.
Each country also has different testing regimes, with Italy conducting more tests than the UK to date.
