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A record number of people have tested positive for COVID-19 in England, according to the latest data.
Figures from the NHS Test and Trace show that between December 10 and December 16, 173,875 people received a positive result, the highest weekly total of positive results. coronavirus cases since the test and trace scheme began in May and a 58% increase from the previous week.
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In total, almost two million people were tested at least once in England during that period, a 12% increase from the previous week.
The data shows that 8.7% of people who were tested tested positive, compared to 6.2% the previous week.
There was also “a notable increase” in the number of people transferred to the contact tracing system.
Almost 140,000 people were referred to Test and Trace staff, 15 times more than at the end of August.
Of these, just over 88% were reached and told to self-isolate. This is practically unchanged from 87.5% the previous week.
Meanwhile, 37.1% of test results were received within 24 hours, up from 51.7% the previous week.
Moreover, positive coronavirus cases are rising dramatically in parts of the UK, with around one in 60 people testing positive in Wales and one in 85 in England, the figures suggest.
The prevalence of COVID-19 Cases in England rose again in the week of December 12-18, with around 645,800 people estimated to be infected, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Thursday.
ONS statistics show an estimated 52,200 people in private households in Wales had COVID-19 in the same period.
The prevalence in the previous week was one in 95 in England and one in 90 in Wales, he estimated.
Experts create a new mutated coronavirus variant, which is believed to be more contagious, is increasing cases across the country.
Originally found in Kent, the variant is believed to be up to 70% more transmissible and led to the creation of new Level 4 restrictions.
About half of the most recent positive cases in England could be caused by the new variant, the ONS said, and the proportion will rise to 68% of cases in London.
Meanwhile, England has banned travel from South Africa after two cases of an even more transmissible second variant of COVID-19, linked to the nation, were found in the UK.
