THE UK has passed the grim milestone of 150,000 Covid deaths, the seventh-highest toll of official figures released by nations around the world.

A further 313 deaths were reported in the UK Government’s daily data on Saturday,  bringing the total since the pandemic began to 150,057.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have now been 174,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

Another 146,390 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases were also recorded across the UK on Saturday.

In Scotland the official figures show there were 12,602 new cases of Covid-19 reported today with a further 26 deaths.

The UK has now become the seventh country to pass the grim milestone, following the US, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru.

READ MORE: Scotland records 26 Covid deaths and more than 12,000 new cases

Professor Andrew Hayward, who advises the Government as part of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said passing the grim milestone of 150,000 deaths was “absolutely tragic”.

After hearing the testimony of a woman who lost two close relatives during the pandemic, the University College London academic told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme: “It is absolutely tragic and to think that’s been repeated so many times is awful.

“I think we could have done better. I think some of the deaths are even more tragic for the fact that many of them were avoidable if we had acted earlier in the first and second wave.”

Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: “This is a terribly sad milestone for our country. Every life lost has left many more hearts broken.

“We owe it to those who’ve lost their lives and those who miss them to ask what could have been done differently and to learn lessons from the inquiry.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also responded to the news in a tweet, saying: "Coronavirus has taken a terrible toll on our country and today the number of deaths recorded has reached 150,000.

“Each and every one of those is a profound loss to the families, friends and communities affected and my thoughts and condolences are with them.

“Our way out of this pandemic is for everyone to get their booster or their first or second dose if they haven’t yet.”

The UK's Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is calling on people to get their booster vaccination in light of reaching the new figure of deaths.

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A DHSC statement read: "Every death from this virus is a tragedy and our sympathies are with everyone who has lost loved ones.

“We are thankful for the collective national effort and the hard work of frontline health and social care staff and volunteers for administering vaccines to tens of millions of people and keeping people safe. Their tireless efforts have saved thousands of lives.

“But the pandemic is not over. That’s why it is so important everyone continues to play their part, by coming forward to get boosted now, or getting a first or second jab, if you have yet to do so.”