Covid: Rise in UK infections driven by BA.2 Omicron variant

Covid cases have continued to rise in the UK, with an estimated one in every 20 people infected, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest.

A sub-variant of Omicron, called BA.2, is now thought to be behind the increase.

All age groups are affected, including the over-75s, who are due a spring booster jab to top up protection.

Hospital cases are also rising, but vaccines are preventing severe cases.

The ONS infection survey, which tests thousands of people randomly in households across the UK, estimates that 3.3 million people would have tested positive in the week ending 12 March - up from 2.6 million the previous week.

Scotland has seen infection levels rise for seven weeks in a row. They have now reached a new record high, with 376,300 people estimated to have had Covid last week, or one in 14.

Infection rates across the nations were:

Sarah Crofts, head of analytical outputs for the Covid-19 Infection Survey, said: "These latest figures show further increases in infections across most of the UK with high levels of infection everywhere, and in Scotland the highest our survey has seen.

"These increases are largely driven by the marked rise of the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant. It's notable also that infections have risen in all age groups, with the over-70s reaching their highest estimate since our survey began.

"We remain thankful to all of our participants for their continuing involvement."