Britain’s daily Covid cases have fallen 11 per cent in a week, official figures revealed today — but both deaths and hospitalisations are still rising.
Department of Health data showed 37,622 positive tests were recorded in the last 24 hours, down from the 42,076 registered last Friday.
England is yet to suffer a Scotland-style spike in infections, which experts feared would be sparked once children returned to classrooms after the summer holidays.
But schools in England have been back for less than a fortnight and the country was hit by a heatwave which saw temperatures reach as high as 30C earlier this week, meaning people spent more time outdoors where the virus finds it harder to spread.
Latest NHS statistics showed 1,063 infected people were admitted to hospital on September 6, the third time in a fortnight that the figure has surged above 1,000. It was up eight per cent on the previous Monday.
Covid deaths also rose by 20 per cent compared to the same time last week after 147 fatalities were recorded, up 121 deaths from seven days ago.
But both measures lag behind cases by several weeks because of the time taken for someone who has caught the virus to become seriously ill.
Separate data today suggested that Scotland’s Covid cases have tripled in a fortnight and surged to their highest levels since the pandemic began after schools returned from the summer holidays.
The Office for National Statistics’ weekly surveillance report estimated 117,300 people, the equivalent of one in 45 Scots, were infected with the virus on any given day in the week ending September 3. For comparison, the figure stood at 36,700 people, or one in 140, in the seven-day spell to August 20.
It comes amid claims Professor Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers from the devolved nations will sign off on plans to offer Covid vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds early next week. No10’s jab advisory panel are also expected to finalise the first stage of a booster drive.
ENGLAND: Infections are falling in the country a week after schools went back, the Government dashboard showed. There were 26,653 cases recorded today, down 16 per cent from seven days ago when 31,726 were recorded
SCOTLAND: Covid cases in the country are still rising after schools returned in mid-August. There were 6,815 new cases recorded today, barely a change from last week when there were 6,711 cases recorded
NORTHERN IRELAND: Covid cases in the UK nation have risen 35 per cent week-on-week. There were 1,687 recorded today, up from 1,248 from seven days ago
WALES: Covid cases in the country remained level today. Latest data showed another 2,467 infections were recorded in the last 24 hours, up just three per cent from 2,391 last Friday
Scotland’s Covid cases have spiralled three-fold in a fortnight, it was estimated today. Office for National Statistics figures showed 117,300 Scots were thought to have the virus in the week to September 3, or one in 45 people. This was up more than 200 per cent from two weeks ago when 36,700 were thought to have the virus
AUGUST 21 (left) AND SEPTEMBER 4 (right): The above maps show the Covid infection rate across Scotland in the week to August 21, a few days after schools in the country returned from the summer holidays, and September 4. They show that cases have surged across the country, particularly around major cities
Official data from the Government’s Covid dashboard showed cases in England have dipped 16 per cent in a week just seven days after children returned to the classroom. It showed there were 26,653 cases recorded over the last 24 hours, compared to 31,726 from the previous seven-day spell.
Infections barely changed week-on-week in Scotland where another 6,815 were registered, a 1.5 per cent increase on the 6,711 recorded last Friday.
Covid cases also remained level in Wales where another 2,467 were recorded in the last 24 hours, up just three per cent on the 2,391 from last Friday.
But in Northern Ireland infections surged by around 35 per cent in a week, after another 1,687 were registered.
Separate ONS infection estimates for England showed the country’s outbreak remained level with 754,600 people estimated to have had the virus last week, or one in 70. But schools in England’s had only been back for a matter of days by September 3.
Scottish pupils returned to classrooms in mid-August and were later blamed for seeding a massive uptick in cases which has only just started to plateau.
Both Northern Ireland and Wales — where schools returned at the same time as in England — saw their infections rise by 10 per cent and 66 per cent in a week, respectively, the ONS report said.
Meanwhile, No10’s top scientists today estimated England’s R rate is at the same level (0.9 to 1.1) as last week in yet another sign that the country’s outbreak was plateauing ahead of the return of schools.
Scottish government advisers yesterday estimated that their R rate — which measures the spread of the virus — was between 1.2 and 1.5, in a warning sign the country’s outbreak is still growing.
It means that for every ten people who catch the virus north of the border, they are passing it on to between 12 and 15 other people.
But the R rate is a lagging indicator, and reflects the situation the country faced itself in several weeks ago due to the data used to calculate it.
Yesterday the Covid symptom study — run by King’s College London and health data company ZOE — said that 5,898 people were catching Covid every day in Scotland, up from 3,503 two weeks ago.
In England, it suggested 51,876 people were catching the virus every day in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous seven-day spell.
This was despite an official Public Health England report that warned infections in the country were rising.
Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and lead scientist of the study, said the return to classrooms ‘hasn’t yet caused a spike’ in infections.
The ONS survey estimated that in Northern Ireland 31,800 people were infected with the virus on any given day last week, compared to 28,700 last week.
And in Wales it said that 46,800 people had Covid, compared to 28,100 in the previous seven-day spell.
Northern Ireland’s outbreak was sparked by younger people mixing more both for social events and in the workplace, official data suggests. Lower vaccination rates among 18 to 39-year-olds are also thought to have been a factor.
In England, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid is estimated to have increased in the North East, with one in 45 people testing positive.
It is thought to have stayed flat in London and the South East and decreased in the North West.
The trend for all other regions is uncertain, according to the ONS.
Infection rates were lowest in the East, where just one in 90 people tested positive.
When modelling the level of Covid infections among different age ranges in England, the ONS said rates have increased for those aged from two to school Year 11.
Around one in 35 people from school Years 7 to 11 and from school Year 12 to age 24 are estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week to September 3 – the highest positivity rate for any age group.
Rates also increased for those aged 35 to 49.
But the percentage testing positive decreased for those aged 25 to 34 and 50 to 69. The trend was uncertain for all other age groups.
Children returned to schools last week in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. But in Scotland they went back in mid-August.
It is expected to take several days before the impact of schools reopening will show up in the daily figures.
Yesterday the UK’s daily Covid cases remained flat on the week before. Department of Health chiefs posted 38,013 new infection, down 0.4 per cent on the 38,154 recorded last week.
Deaths also fell yesterday, with 167 fatalities recorded — a drop-off of 6.2 per cent on the 178 seen last week.
But the number of hospital admissions remained flat. Some 863 Covid patients were admitted on Sunday — the most recent date data is available for, up 1.8 per cent on the week before.
Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England. Map shows: The percentage change in infections in regions across England in the week ending September 5 (right) and the week before (left)
Data from King’s College London scientists has suggested 51,876 people suffered with the virus in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous week (57,158)
Figures from Public Health England show cases in children aged 10 to 19 spiked by 42 per cent in a week from 478.3 per 100,000 to 681.4 in the week ending September 5. This was nearly six times higher than the 114 cases per 100,000 in over-80s — down 1.2 per cent from the week before — and 145.8 in 70- to 79-year-olds — which remained flat
PHE data yesterday showed the overall the number of positive cases last week rose from 171,798 to 187,059.
Case rates in England are continuing to rise in most age groups, PHE said. The exceptions are 20 to 29-year-olds, 60 to 69-year-olds and people aged 80 and over.
The highest rate is among 10 to 19-year-olds, with 681.4 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up sharply week-on-week from 478.3. The second highest rate is among 20 to 29-year-olds, down from 412.1 to 373.2.
But the lowest rate is among people aged 80 and over, at 114.0, down slightly from 115.4.
Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England, according to PHE. North-east England has the highest rate, with 378.6 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up from 320.3. Yorkshire and the Humber has the second highest rate at 378.4, up from 343.0.
London has the lowest rate at 240.0, up slightly from 237.5.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: ‘Case rates remain high although fairly stable across the country and are currently highest in those aged 10-19 years old.
‘We expect to see more cases in this age groups as schools detect cases of COVID-19 acquired during the summer holidays. We continue to closely monitor how the start of the school year is impacting infections and will review recommendations accordingly.
‘In recent days many have begun to return to the workplace.
‘It’s important to keep following the simple steps to help protect yourself and others, get both doses of the vaccine, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and if you have Covid symptoms, please do not go out.
‘You should only leave home to get a PCR test, which you should get as soon as possible if you have symptoms.’
It comes after the Government’s own vaccine advisory panel, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), last week ruled that the benefits of vaccines were only ‘marginally greater’ than the known risks for 12 to 15-year-olds.
Both Pfizer and Moderna’s jabs have been linked to a rare heart complication called myocarditis in young adults and children.
Following the JCVI ruling, ministers asked Professor Whitty and the UK’s other chief medical officers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to carry out a wider review to weigh up the societal benefits of inoculating children, to see whether this would tip the balance clearly in favour of jabbing the group.
The full details of this review are yet to be published although they are set to be formally announced next week when the chief medical officers present their decision on vaccinating children.
SAGE members have suggested giving the youngest children just one dose of the jab because it offers ‘high levels of protection’ and carries less risk of myocarditis, inflammation of the heart heavily linked to the second vaccine.
One expert on the panel told the i newspaper: ‘With both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering high levels of protection after just one dose this is one course of action being considered.’
Concerns over vaccinating children have centered around the complication, which appears to be mild but can strike up to one in 15,000 teenage boys after their second dose.
A University of California study yesterday revealed boys are six times more likely to suffer the side effect after two doses of the vaccine than be hospitalised if they catch the virus.
But they found their risk of experiencing the rare side effect after one dose was so low that it made hospitalisation with the disease more than twice as likely.
British teenagers aged 16 and 17 have been able to get one dose of the Covid vaccine since last month, when the JCVI approved the expansion of the roll-out. Scientists are still yet to decide whether they should also be offered a second dose of the jab because of the myocarditis risk.
Parents will also be asked for consent to inoculate their children once the jabs receive the green light, with forms set to be posted within days of the announcement.