The increase is slightly down on the 861 released on Thursday. Last week, a daily high reached 980 deaths.
The figure, which is released daily by the government, has come under increasing scrutiny. It likely underestimates the true toll because it only includes deaths in hospitals and not in nursing homes or other settings within the community.
Britain's Office for National Statistics has indicated the figure could be around 15 per cent higher, though others think it will be more amid growing reports of a sharp increase in coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes. (AP) NSA