LONDON: More than 10 million people have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in Britain, according to government statistics published on Wednesday.

The health ministry said 10,021,471 people have had a jab since the start of a mass vaccination campaign in early December.

A further 498,962 have had a second dose.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has set a target of vaccinating 15 million of the most vulnerable by mid-February, called the figures a “milestone”.

He told a Downing Street news conference the figures included nearly 90 percent of people aged 75 and above in England, and all elderly residents of care homes.

“There are many people and groups responsible for the UK’s vaccination programme,” he said, heralding everyone from scientists to delivery drivers to pharmacists for their roles. “And it is thanks to their effort — the most colossal in the history of our National Health Service — that we have today passed the milestone.”

Britain has been hit hard by the global health crisis, and on Wednesday recorded another 1,322 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, taking the overall toll in the outbreak to 109,335. A further 19,202 positive cases were recorded in the last 24 hours. In all, nearly 3.9 million people have had the disease.