The UK has recorded 1,725 more Covid-related deaths since Tuesday – the second highest total of the pandemic.
It comes 24 hours after the total deaths passed 100,000, leading prime minister Boris Johnson to say he was “deeply sorry” for every life lost and that the government “truly did everything we could”.
The highest number of deaths recorded on a single day was 1,820 on January 20.
Wednesday’s figure brings the total number of fatalities to 101,887 since the pandemic began. That refers to people who have died within 28 days of first testing positive for coronavirus.
But as with all daily deaths updates, it doesn’t mean all these victims have actually died within the last 24 hours – just that they have been newly reported.
The true deadliest days of the pandemic only emerge later, as deaths can take days and even months to report after occurring.
January 18 is the deadliest day of the pandemic so far, with 1,202 people dying on that day.
Earlier on Wednesday Johnson announced people arriving in the UK from a number of Covid hotspots will be required to quarantine in government-run hotels at their own expense.
He also said schools would stay closed until at least March 8 and that his plan to plan to lift England’s third lockdown would be revealed in the week beginning February 22.