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Covid infections have surged by more than a third in a week, official data shows as one in every 28 people carried the virus in Britain’s worst hit boroughs.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) statisticians estimate more than 1.5million people were infected in England on any given day in the week up to October 3.
Cases jumper more than 36 per cent on the 1.1million recorded the week before. They also surged in Wales and Northern Ireland, but the trend was ‘uncertain’ in Scotland, experts said.
They were highest in most vulnerable older age groups, who will need ‘close monitoring as we move through the colder months’, they warned.
Some 3.57 per cent of people living in Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden and South Lakeland — all in in Cumbria — were infected during the week.
Experts fear the situation will pick up pace in the coming weeks, with some already called on ministers to bring back stricter rules to thwart the spread of the virus.
Some hospitals have already reimposed mask requirements for visitors and patients. Others have brought back social distancing guidelines, in scenes reminiscent of the darkest days of the pandemic.
However, latest Government data shows Covid hospitalisations may already be slowing down. Some 1,275 people were admitted with the virus on October 10, down 5 per cent on the 1,344 a week before
It comes amid looming NHS strikes, with Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey last night telling nurses that are unhappy with their pay they are free to leave.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) statisticians estimate more than 1.5million people in England were infected on any given day in the week up to October 3
Cases were highest in most vulnerable older age groups, who will need ‘close monitoring as we move through the colder months’, experts warned
Sarah Crofts, deputy director for the Covid-19 Infection Survey, said: ‘Infections have risen again across much of the United Kingdom, continuing the pattern of steady increases seen over recent weeks, although Scotland and the North East of England had uncertain trends in the latest week.
‘We have also seen another notable rise in infections amongst older age groups in England and Wales, underlining once again the need for close monitoring as we move through the colder months.’
After the areas in Cumbria, Tameside in Greater Manchester had the highest infection rate in the UK, with 3.31 per cent carrying the virus during the week.
It was followed by Halton, Warrington and Trafford in Greater Manchester (3.26 per cent), Cheschire West and Chester (3.22 per cent) and Boston, East Lindsey, Lincoln, North Kesteven, South Holland, South Kesteven, West Lindsey in Lincolnshire (also 3.22 per cent).
For comparison, the least affected areas were Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, and South Ayrshire in Scotland, where 1.43 per cent were infected.
In total, 109,700 people had the virus in Scotland, down 3 per cent on the 113,000 recorded the week before. 74,900 had it in Wales, while 45,100 did in Northern Ireland.
Across the UK, Covid was most prevalent in people aged 70 and over, with 3.7 per cent in the age group infected.
They were followed by 50- to 69-year-olds (3 per cent), 16- to 24-year-olds (2.9 per cent) and 25- to 49-year-olds (2.7 per cent).
Children in school years seven to 11 had the lowest infection rate, with just 1.5 per cent of pupils struck down with the virus.
Despite climbing cases in most of the country, more recent hospitalisation data suggests virus admissions are falling in England.
Around 10,6000 Covid-infected patients were in hospital beds as of 8am on Wednesday, the latest date data is available for. This was up 10 per cent on the week before.
However, the numbers include patients who caught the virus in hospital or were admitted for other reasons like a broken leg and happened be infected.
In total, 109,700 people had the virus in Scotland, down 3 per cent on the 113,000 recorded the week before. 74,900 had it in Wales, while 45,100 did in Northern Ireland.