The Prime Minister says he is "deeply sorry for every life that has been lost" to Covid-19 as the UK recorded more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths.

At a Downing Street press conference this evening, Boris Johnson said he takes responsibility for all the government has done during the pandemic, saying "we truly did everything we could".

The grim figure is equivalent to the entire borough of Swale, which includes Sheppey, Sittingbourne and Faversham.

The UK is the fifth country to pass 100,000 deaths after Mexico, USA, India and Brazil - all of which have far larger populations - and as previously been reported has the highest death rate in the world.

"The most important thing we can all do to honour the memory of those who have died is to work together with ever greater resolve to defeat this disease," Mr Johnson said.

"I am deeply sorry for every life that has been lost, and of course as Prime Minister I take full responsibility for everything that the government has done.

"What I can tell you is that we truly did everything we could, and continue to do everything we can to minimise loss of life and minimise suffering in what has been a very very difficult crisis for our country."

The government’s preferred measure of the UK death toll, which counts only those people who died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus, currently stands at 100,162.

While more than 115,000 deaths 'involving Covid-19' have now occurred in the UK, new figures show.

The total is based on the latest available reports on death registrations, plus more recent data on the government’s coronavirus dashboard.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also show the number of UK deaths, based on mentions of Covid-19 on death certificates, passed 100,000 on January 7 2021.

As the nation passes the grim milestone pressure on services is building and in Kent autopsies will now be held digitally.

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