Covid cases have hit the highest level since February after jumping by nearly a third in a week in England, new analysis shows . The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) case rate dashboard indicates that Covid is now more prevalent than it was in the May wave, after rising by 29 per cent in the week until 22 June. But while the increase is concerning and expected to continue, scientists pointed out that cases are still barely a quarter of what they were in late December and early January when about 4.
5 per cent of the UK population was infected. The data is based on tests conducted on patients in hospitals and GPs, rather than the population as a whole. As such, it doesn’t give a precise estimate for the prevalence of the virus across the country but it does give a good indication of trends, scientists said.
“The available data indicates that Covid levels in England have continued to increase this week and are higher than in May,” said Bob Hawkins, a data analyst who works with the Independent Sage group of Covid scientists, who analysed the UKHSA figures. “Case rates have increased across all regions in the past two weeks, with the North West and North East experiencing the most significant rises.” The rise in case numbers is thought to be due to a combination of waning immunity built up from vaccines and previous infections and the rapid spread of an emerging variant known as KP.
3. What are the symptoms of Covid? What are the differences with other illnesses and why.