Global death toll from coronavirus hits six million, fresh data shows

THE tragic global death toll from Covid has hit six million, new figures have shown.

Today Johns Hopkins University recorded the grim tally has reached the landmark figure.

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Death rates around the world are still highest among those who are unvaccinated.

But confirmed deaths aren’t thought to represent the actual number, partly due to testing challenges globally and how the cause of death is attributed.

The United States has the biggest official death toll in the world, with the UK seeing 162,008 official Covid deaths since the pandemic began.

Vaccines are the best way to get through the Omicron wave, experts have repeatedly said – and slash the risk of serious illness or hospitalisation in yourself and others.

The variant is milder than previous strains, especially in the vaccinated, but can spread quickly which is why cases had rocketed.

Any new variants could remain as mild as Omicron, but it could be the case that a slightly more severe one emerges – which is why it’s important to keep on top of your jabs.

The risk of being hospitalised, dying or having a severe illness is far lower now – with most people having cold-like symptoms.

Boris Johnson brought the curtain down on months of curbs last month, saying it was now for ordinary Brits – not ministers – to decide how people live their lives.

He told MPs: “We will encourage people with Covid-19 symptoms to enact personal responsibility, in the same way we would with flu.

“It is time that we got our confidence back. We don’t need laws to compel people to be considerate to others.

“We can rely on that sense of responsibility towards one another by providing practical advice in the knowledge that people will follow it to protect their loved ones.

“So let us learn to live with is protecting ourselves and others without restricting our freedoms.”

Currently Brits can order lateral flow tests for free, and go to walk-in PCR testing centres if they have symptoms.

But for people living in England free lateral flow tests will be scrapped on April 1, along with PCRs for people with symptoms.

It means Brits will need to either buy a test, or rely instead on cautionary behaviour if they think they are ill.

The onus is now on the general public to live with Covid, but try not to spread the bug to the more vulnerable.

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