London, Sep 20 With 4,422 fresh cases, the number of single-day coronavirus infections in the UK has hit a four-month record high since May, taking the overall tally to 390,358, official statistics showed.
Along with the new cases, the country on Saturday also reported 27 fresh fatalities which increased the nationwide death toll to 41,759, Xinhua news agency.
The latest figures were revealed as Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that a second wave of Covid-19 is "coming in", and his government may need to "intensify things to help bring the rate of infections down".
Amid the grim developments, hundreds of people attended a rally on Saturday in Trafalgar Square in central London in protest against the coronavirus lockdown measures.
Some of them became involved in "outbreaks of violence towards officers", the Metropolitan Police said.
Traffic was brought to a halt as protesters erected a blockade in a bid to prevent police officers from making arrests.
Among the demonstrators were conspiracy theorists who claim that Covid-19 was a hoax, advocating against people wearing masks, and accusing the government of concealing the truth.
In a statement, Scotland Yard said officers had attempted to "explain, engage and encourage" the protesters to leave the rally, but many remained "putting themselves and others at risk".
Police has warned that "enforcement action" would be used to disperse those who remain in the area and those who remained there could be arrested.
( With inputs from IANS )
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