UK Covid infections climb by a million in a week

2 years ago 28

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By Michelle Roberts
Digital health editor

Image source, Getty Images

Covid cases have climbed by a million in a week the UK, data from the Office for National Statistics reveals.

Swab tests suggest around one in every 16 people is infected as the contagious Omicron variant BA.2 continues to spread.

That's just under 4.3 million people, up from 3.3 million the week before.

The figures for the week ending 19 March, are thought to give the most accurate reflection of what's happening with the virus in the community.

Rates were up in England and Wales, and Scotland reached a new high.

Infections have started decreasing in Northern Ireland however.

The rates across the nations were:

England: 6.4%, up from 4.9% last week - approximately one in 16 people
Wales: 6.4%, up from 4.1% last week - approximately one in 16 people
Northern Ireland: 5.9%, down from 7.1% last week - approximately one in 17 people
Scotland: 9%, up from 7.15% last week - approximately one in 11 people

A high number of infections means the UK can expect Covid hospitalisations to rise too, although vaccines are still helping to stop many severe cases, say experts.

According to the latest figures, there were 16,975 patients in hospital with the virus on 23 March. Around half will have been admitted for something else, rather than Covid, but tested positive.

Just over 300 of them needed an intensive care bed with a ventilator to help them breathe.

England's chief medical officer Prof Sir Chris Whitty said earlier this week that while the virus was causing pressure in the NHS, the high rates of transmission were fortunately not translating into lots of intensive care cases and deaths.