LONDON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Another 428 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Wednesday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 33,614, the Department of Health and Social Care said Thursday.

File photo by AFP

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

As of Thursday morning, 233,151 have tested positive for the virus in Britain, said the department.

Public Health England has approved an antibody test made by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, which may now be used to determine how much of the population has been infected by COVID-19.

Antibody testing could be hugely useful as Britain emerges from lockdown as the presence of antibodies to the virus in a person's blood proves they have had it. However, whether the person is immune and if so, how long that immunity lasts, are still very open questions, according to The Guardian newspaper.