One new Covid-19 death and 36 cases in Aylesbury Vale today as council leader issues statement to residents

There were 36 positive tests for coronavirus in Aylesbury Vale in the last 24 hours according to the latest government data.

One new death was also recorded - the fifth in the last week - bringing the total number of deaths in the district to 96.

In Buckinghamshire as a whole there have been a total of 281 deaths since recording began at the start of the pandemic.

Across the UK cases and deaths were down on the last few days, with 27,301 positive tests and 376 deaths.

Buckinghamshire Council leader Martin Tett spoke to residents this evening in a statement.

Mr Tett says he has been enthused by news of a vaccine on the horizon but has urged the people of Aylesbury and beyond to continue to adhere to strict lockdown rules.

"It’s great to be able to write to you with an air of optimism this time given the news of the successful COVID-19 vaccine trials this week," Mr Tett said.

"While we aren’t on the final furlong yet, we should still celebrate this news and the feeling that finally, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Our public health team is working hard with our local NHS partners about how the vaccine will be distributed and administered when it’s available.

"However, this news doesn’t change the current challenges of the second wave that we are facing, and while we can look far more brightly to the future, we must continue to focus on the present fight to get infection rates back down again before the vaccine and mass testing can be fully rolled out. Passing the tragic milestone of 50,000 deaths in the UK this week has been a stark reminder of what we still face in the here and now, as was yesterday’s big leap in the number of new cases nationally."