this is bbc news. i'm reeta chakrabarti. the headlines... the number of confirmed covid cases in the uk reaches 88,376 — a new record — as england's chief medical officer warns of major challenges in the days ahead. a lot of people will simultaneously fall ill and be unwell, isolating or caring for others at the same time across the whole economy, so that side of things i also do think we need to take quite seriously. the record number of cases raise real concerns for the nhs — and the impact on hospital admissions. the chancellor is cutting his us trip short to resume talks with