Total Covid-19 infections in the UK have jumped 25% to their highest level since mid-August, though not all parts of the country are currently experiencing a rise, new figures show.

England and Northern Ireland have both seen an increase, while the trend in Scotland and Wales is uncertain.

There has also been a “marked” rise in infection levels among over-70s.

Some 1.3 million people in private households across the UK are likely to have tested positive for coronavirus in the week to September 26, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is up from 1.1 million in the previous week.

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It is the highest UK-wide total since the week to August 16 but is still some way below the 3.8 million weekly infections in early July, at the peak of the wave caused by the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants of the virus.

There is a lag in the reporting of the ONS data, due to the time it takes for the survey to be compiled.

More recent figures show the number of people in hospital who have tested positive for Covid-19 is now on a clear upwards trend in much of the country, signalling a fresh wave of coronavirus is under way.

Sarah Crofts, ONS deputy director of the Covid-19 infection survey, said: “Infections have continued to increase in England, reaching levels last seen in mid-August.

“The rest of the UK is a mixed picture, with uncertain trends in Wales and Scotland and a recent increase in Northern Ireland.

“Amongst the over-70s there has been a marked increase in infections in England this week, a trend which we will closely monitor as the winter months progress.”

In England, the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in the latest survey was 1.1 million, or around one in 50 – up from 857,400, or one in 65, in the previous week.

This is the first time the figure for England has been above one million since the week to August 16.

Northern Ireland has also seen a rise, where the latest estimate for infections is 46,100, or one in 40 people, up from 23,100, or one in 80.

In both Scotland and Wales the trend is described by the ONS as “uncertain”.

In Scotland, 113,000 people were likely to have had Covid-19 in the latest survey, or around one in 45, compared with 117,100 in the previous week, which is also one in 45.

In Wales, the latest estimate is 63,400, or one in 50, compared with 62,900, also one in 50.

Infection rates in England are highest among people aged 70 and over, with 2.5% likely to have tested positive for coronavirus in the latest survey, or around one in 40.

This is up from 1.7%, or one in 60, in the previous week.

Rates are lowest among children from school Year 7 to 11, at 1.6% or one in 60.

Not all ages in England have seen a rise in infections, with the trend uncertain for the Year 7-11 group along with young adults from school Year 12 to age 24.

The ONS infection survey is the most reliable measure of the prevalence of coronavirus and is based on a sample of swab tests from households across the UK.

HEALTH Coronavirus Hospitals
(PA Graphics)

The figures come as the number of hospital patients in England testing positive for Covid-19 continues to climb.

A total of 9,631 people with coronavirus were in hospital as of 8am on October 5, according to NHS data.

This is up 37% from 7,024 a week earlier and is the highest figure since August 3.

Patient numbers topped 14,000 in mid-July at the peak of the BA.4/BA.5 wave, then fell steadily until mid-September, since when they have been increasing.

Hospital admissions in England are also rising, with rates highest among over-85s at 132.3 per 100,000 people in the seven days to October 2 – up sharply week-on-week from 80.1.

Scotland and Wales are both seeing an increase in Covid-19 patients, while in Northern Ireland the recent fall in numbers has levelled off.

Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, said the latest increases are “concerning”, and cases and hospitalisation rates are at their “highest level in months”.

She added: “Make sure you have any Covid-19 vaccinations you are eligible for and avoid contact with others if you feel unwell or have symptoms of a respiratory infection.

“If you are unwell, it is particularly important to avoid contact with elderly people or those who are more likely to have severe disease because of their ongoing health conditions.”

Around four in 10 (40.3%) of people aged 80 and over in England are now likely to have received an autumn booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine, along with a similar proportion (41.0%) of 75 to 79-year-olds.

All people in the UK aged 65 and over are currently eligible for the booster, providing they had their last jab at least three months ago.

Doses are also available to frontline health and care workers, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

The booster is intended to increase protection against serious illness during the next waves of the virus and will eventually be offered to everyone aged 50 and over.