Coronavirus latest: 45 new cases confirmed in Luton today

The total number of cases in the borough now stands at 5,337 (+45).

The case rate in Luton is currently 297.1 per 100,000.

Elsewhere in the county, Central Bedfordshire has 3,383 (+36) cases while Bedford's figure is at 3,131 (+17).

There have been 1,538,794 lab-confirmed cases across the UK, up by a daily rise of 11,299.

55,838 deaths have been recorded within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, with 608 added yesterday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday announced a 3-tier system in England when lockdown ends on December 2.

It was also reported that the UK government has ordered 100m doses of a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.

Preliminary testing suggests the vaccine is 70% effective, but researchers say this figure could rise to over 90% by tweaking the dose.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC: "The bulk of the vaccine roll-out programme will be in January, February and March.

"We hope that sometime after Easter, things will be able to start to get back to normal.”