Across the UK, an estimated one in 15 people in the community has coronavirus
London:
More than one in 20 people in the UK contracted Covid-19 in the final week of 2021, the highest rate of infections recorded during the pandemic, official data showed on Wednesday.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), an estimated 3.7 million people in the UK have contracted the virus, up from 2.3 million the week before when the Omicron variant increased nationally.
The unprecedented case level is the highest in London, where one in 10 people has the disease, according to the ONS, which is considered one of the most reliable figures because it samples random in the population.
Across the UK, an estimated one in 15 people in the community has coronavirus, it reported.
The ONS said: “#COVID19 infection rates continued to increase across all age groups in the UK for the week ending 31 December 2021, with the highest rates remaining among children and young adults in the age group. going to school”.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where creative governments have reimposed some restrictions in recent weeks, rates have been slightly lower at between one in 20 and one in 25.
The statistics come as Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government announced that testing rules for those showing no symptoms in Britain would be relaxed to help mitigate the damage caused by record levels of infection. .
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said asymptomatic people in the UK who tested positive would no longer require a confirmatory PCR test as of January 11.
Instead, those who receive a positive result on the lateral flow generator will be asked to self-isolate immediately without PCR confirmation.
A similar system will be rolled out in Scotland and Wales from Thursday.
– ‘Significant impact’ –
The UK is one of the countries hardest hit in Europe by the pandemic, with the number of deaths from the virus approaching 150,000 and daily cases surpassing 200,000 in recent days.
However, Johnson has refused to introduce tougher restrictions in the UK, arguing that the rise in hospitalizations and serious illness does not yet require further measures.
Instead, he has focused on strengthening the vaccine booster program, which has seen nearly 60 percent of children over 12 receive a third dose.
But other parts of the UK have tightened anti-virus measures, with conscientious governments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast all imposing post-Christmas restrictions on social activities. and major events.
In Scotland, they included the closure of nightclubs, including on New Year’s Eve, and limited gatherings, leading to an early winter break for top football.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Wednesday that the measures would be in place until at least mid-month.
“What can’t be doubted is that it has had a significant impact,” she said of the rise in infections, noting that the number of people in Scottish hospitals had increased by 80 per cent in the most recent week.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
