One in 20 has Covid in the UK

2 years ago 22
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By Michelle Roberts
Digital health editor

Woman in a maskImage source, Getty Images

Covid infections have continued to climb across the UK, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

Nearly 3.5 million people, or one in 20, has the virus - that's up from 2.7m, or one in 25, the week before.

The rise is being driven by fast-spreading sub-variants of Omicron, called BA.4 and BA.5.

People are still able to catch the infection even if they have had Covid before.

The data is collated by testing thousands of people from UK households - whether they have symptoms or not - to estimate how much virus is around.

In the latest report the ONS estimates Covid rates were:

  • One in 19 in England - up from one in 25 the week before
  • One in 17 in Wales - up from one in 20
  • One in 17 in Northern Ireland - up from one in 19
  • One in 16 in Scotland - up from one in 17

Sarah Crofts, Head of Analytical Outputs for the Covid-19 Infection Survey, said: "Infections are showing no signs of decreasing, with rates approaching levels last seen in March this year at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave.

"Rates have continued to increase across the UK and among all age groups. We will continue to closely monitor the data."

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