current totals on Gov figure are 3269 cases and 144 deaths.

Death rate of < 0.5%. That tells me that:

1) not all cases are reported to official channels. eg Self-isolation rather than resorting to health systems.
2) or in the UK enough have acquired a level of immunity from previous rounds. And I have heard of several examples of coughs (dry?) that lingered for 4 weeks and other symptoms, occurring before Xmas.
3) The UK are an unusually tough bunch (unlikely, but we can dream).