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January's daily UK Covid death toll averages more than 1,000, figures show

Confirmation of deadliest month of pandemic comes a year after the UK recorded its first Covid death
More than 1,000 people in the UK have died of Covid on average each day in January, making it the deadliest month of the pandemic so far by the government’s count, with more than 28,000 deaths as of Thursday.
Saturday marks the first anniversary of when the UK recorded its first coronavirus death, which occurred on 30 January 2020.
A total of 28,171 deaths occurred in the UK between 1 and 28 January, 1,006 deaths a day, according to the government’s count of Covid deaths occurring within 28 days of a positive test. The previous highest monthly death toll was recorded in April at the height of the first wave: 24,070 deaths, an average of 802 deaths a day.
Subsequent data released by the Office for National Statistics showed that, when all mentions of Covid were counted, the true April death toll was 33,754 but, because of a time lag to allow for all deaths to be registered, it will be some weeks before equivalent data becomes available for January.One year after the first known Covid death took place, the overall death toll, including all mentions of coronavirus on death certificates, has passed 120,000.
This count is reached by taking the latest figures from the UK’s statistical agencies, which are up to date to 15 January in England and Wales (98,450 deaths), to 22 January in Northern Ireland (2,355) and to 24 January in Scotland (7,902), a total of 108,707 deaths.
Added to that are any Covid fatalities for which the date of death has occurred after those dates in each nation as per the government dashboard, bringing the death count to 121,381.
Karl Friston, a professor of imaging neuroscience at University College London and panellist on the Independent Sage group, said the total number of deaths was “likely to far exceed the number seen during the first wave”.
He said the rate at which deaths decline was likely to be slower and fluctuate. He said: “In short, it seems as if the current resurgence will, on the one hand, not attain the peak fatality rates of the first wave; however, it is likely to be more protracted and deadly. The actual trajectory will depend sensitively on sociobehavioural responses (eg opening schools) and the efficacy of vaccination.”
The UK reached 50,000 deaths on 23 May, just short of two months after the country’s first national lockdown. It took a further six months for the UK Covid-19 death toll to pass 75,000 on 26 November but less than a month and half for the death toll to reach 100,000 on 7 January.
The England death toll to 28 January now stands at 25,425, which is 18% higher than its April toll. Northern Ireland also recorded its highest monthly death count in January, at 470, 41% higher than the 334 recorded in April.
Scotland’s January death toll is currently 8% lower than in April, according to the government figures.
December was the deadliest month of the pandemic thus far in Wales at 1,026 deaths, although, with two days’ data left before the month is out January’s death toll is likely to exceed that figure.
As the government figure is based on deaths within 28 days of a positive test, deaths recorded in April may have been higher because of the limited availability of testing at the time.
source: Niamh McIntyre
Levant
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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