Covid infections up by 6% in a week as hospital cases climb a quarter | The Sun
CASES of Covid-19 have climbed six per cent in the last week, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) states.
An estimated 1.5 million Brits had the bug in the week ending February 21.
This is the smallest week-on-week percentage increase since the current rise in infections began at the end of January.
And jabs are protecting millions of Brits against severe illness, after a mammoth rollout.
The Sun also encouraged Brits to get both flu and Covid vaccines this winter with the 'Do the Double' campaign, in order to keep them safe from both illnesses.
Data from the ONS shows that it's the fourth week in a row there's been an uptick in illness, with infections still rising in those aged 25-49 and the over-70s.
Read more on Covid-19
Covid infections jump by 17% in as hospital cases up for 4th week in a row
Urgent warning to anyone who’s had Covid over ‘increased risk of painful illness’
However, cases have fallen for the second week in a row in school-aged children.
Around 2.7 per cent of 25-34 year-olds in England were likely to have tested positive for coronavirus in the latest week, the highest percentage of any age group and up from 2.3 per cent the previous week.
Among children in school years 7 to 11, the rate has dropped from 2.6 per cent to 2.3 per cent.
Michelle Bowen, ONS head of health surveillance, confirmed the latest figures show levels of the virus have “continued to increase in England and Wales, though positivity has decreased in Northern Ireland and the trend in Scotland is unclear”.
Most read in Health
Warning to anyone who makes a cup of tea at work as 'dangerous' bacteria spreads
Cold weather alert for elderly Brits, as Met warns of freezing temperatures
Exact number of steps needed to burn off pint of cider or glass of wine revealed
Urgent warning as norovirus hits 'highest levels for a decade' – signs to know
She added: “It’s a mixed picture across English regions and age groups. Though infections have decreased in school aged children for a second week, they continue to rise for those aged 25 to 49 years and in the over-70s.”
The data from the ONS today comes as the NHS warned that there are still 'hundreds of patients' in hospital with winter viruses.
NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: "The number of Covid patients is up almost a quarter since last month and norovirus remains a concern – with cases in hospital three times higher than last year."
As of March 1, 7,507 beds were occupied with Covid-19, NHS data states.
That's a 24 per cent increase on this time last month, with 6,055 having had treatment in hospital for the bug.
On top of this, the total number of general and acute beds occupied last week was 95,136, up almost 5,000 – or 5.3 per cent – on last year.
Source: Read Full Article