Covid rates nosedive by a THIRD in a week despite gloomy warnings of Kraken chaos

Covid infections have plummeted by a third in a week, surveillance data shows.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that 1.5million people in England were carrying the virus on any given day in the week to January 10. 

The figure is 33 per cent lower than the 2.2million who were thought to be infected in the previous week.

It comes despite warnings from health chiefs that Omicron variant XBB.1.5, nicknamed Kraken, could cause a resurgence in cases.

The ONS data, based on the random swabbing of thousands of Brits, suggests that one in 40 people in England (2.6 per cent) were infected with Covid last week.

Virus levels also fell across the UK.

In Scotland, 171,500 (one in 30, 3.3 per cent) were thought to be carrying the virus. The figure is a fifth lower than one week earlier.

Some 121,600 in Wales (one in 25, 3.9 per cent) were likely infected, down from 157,000 — marking a 22.5 per cent fall.

In Northern Ireland, 77,300 (one in 25, 4.2 per cent) were infected, a drop of 40.1 per cent. 

Michelle Bowen, head of health surveillance dissemination and strategy at the ONS, said: ‘Across the UK we have seen a sizeable decrease in Covid positivity. 

‘That is a positive sign, though we must remain cautious as overall rates remain high.

‘Also, it is still too early to see fully the potential impact of the return of schools. We will continue to monitor the data closely.’