British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sees how a dose of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine is prepared in London.  (Photo: Stefan Rousseau—WPA Pool/Getty Images) 

London, January 26 (RHC)-- The COVID-19 pandemic has now claimed more than 100,000 lives in the UK, thus bringing the government’s mishandling of the crisis into even sharper relief.  A record 1,610 people have died of COVID-19 across the UK in the past 24 hours as the pandemic continues to surge.

According to the latest figures, another 1,631 people have died of COVID-19 in a single day, thus bringing the total death toll to 100,162.  However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS - which uses a different counting method than the government) says the death toll is even higher, amounting to nearly 104,000 people.

The ONS figures, which cover the period ending January 15, are based on death certificates. By contrast, the government’s daily figures rely on positive Covid-19 tests, thus producing a slightly lower death count.  

The grim milestone of over 100,000 deaths is set to increase pressure on Boris Johnson’s government, especially as it comes so soon after it was revealed the UK has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world.

Another major worry for the ruling Tories is the highly uncomfortable fact of the UK’s COVID-19 death toll doubling in just over two months.  Back on November 11, 2020, the UK had recorded 50,000 coronavirus-related deaths.  In just 76 days, that figure has more than doubled to nearly 104,000.