Coronavirus infections more than DOUBLE in a week – with 17,200 new cases a day, ONS stats show
COVID cases in England have more than doubled in a week with 17,200 people a day being infected with the virus, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.
This is up from the previous week where 8,400 cases were recorded and the ONS stated that infections in teenagers and younger adults are also rising.
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From September 25 to October 1 the ONS estimates that 224,400 people in England have had the coronavirus, this equates to around 1 in 240 people.
This is the equivalent of around 0.41 per cent of the population.
While positive cases have increased, the rate of those being hospitalised with the virus is not rising at the same rate.
Figures show that there has been a 30 per cent increase on patients placed on ventilators in England in the last week, which is not inline with the doubling of coronavirus infections.
Data from the ONS showed that critical care occupancy is currently at 349 in England - at the peak of the pandemic this was 2780.
The figures from the ONS represent a jump from 116,600 people, or 0.21 per cent of the population, who were estimated to have Covid-19 in the previous week of September 18 to 24.
The ONS stated that there has been a "marked increase" in cases over the last six weeks.
The figures do not include people staying in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.
The figures from the ONS come as data from the Covid Symptom Tracker App revealed that the UK is currently recording 21,903 new cases of the virus each day.
This is an increase of 1,000 cases in the last seven days.
Data from the app was based on 12,078 recent swab tests done between September 20 to October 4.
As more local lockdowns are expected in the North of England, the data revealed that there is a stark divide between the North and the South.
Experts at King's College London stated the data supports a regional approach to restrictions.
It found that there are five times more cases in the North than the South, with the majority of new cases being found in the North East and Yorkshire - where there have been 5,425, the data suggests.
This is followed by the North West with 5,248.
The data also revealed that infections in the South are currently below 1,000 daily, with 985 and 914 respectively.
The experts stated: "The top three areas of concern with one in 100 estimated people infected are around Glasgow, Nottingham and Sheffield according to our data."
Data from the app backs that from the ONS that also states that the worst infections are in the North East and Yorkshire.
Graphs produced by the ONS show a clear increase in cases in the North East, the North West and Yorkshire and The Humber.
The South East and the East of England has remained near enough flat and slight increases can be seen in areas such as the East Midlands, the West Midlands, London and the South West.
Age matters
Looking at age as a factor in infection rates and the ONS stated that there has been an increase in younger people contracting the virus.
Graphs shows that the biggest increase has been in kids who are aged 17 to 24.
Case rates have remained almost flat in elderly age groups and this comes after data from experts at Oxford University revealed that the average age of death from the coronavirus is 82.4 years.
This is slightly higher than deaths caused by other illnesses, which has a median age of 81.5.
It comes after a Whitehall source revealed that the government is "mulling over" plans to once again shield hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Brits.
The government could advise clinically vulnerable people to shield as part of the top tier of a streamlined Covid lockdown system set to be announced next week.
The data from the Covid Symptoms Tracker App today also revealed that the R rate in England is currently at 1.0.
Despite a rise in infections, the experts said that the estimated R rate is a "positive sign that the upward trend that was seen a few weeks ago has slowed down, but is still rising".
The experts said that this is the second week in a row that R rates have come down.
This is different to the official R rate which is released by the government every Friday afternoon.
Last week's data from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), stated that the R rate could be as high as 1.6 in some areas.
The R rate represents the average number of people each Covid-19 positive person goes on to infect.
When the figure is above 1, an outbreak can grow exponentially.
According to government guidance an R rate between 1.3 and 1.6 means that on average, for every ten people infected, another 13 to 16 people will catch the virus.
Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London said the data shows an increase in regional differences.
“Our data shows that rates are still rising but we have been seeing a slowing down nationally of the increase in daily new cases, which is reflected in the R values of 1 and 1.1.
'We aren't out of the woods'
"The data also show increasing regional differences with worst hit areas in the North of England still increasing rapidly- especially now Yorkshire and the North-East."
He added that while it's good news that cases are slowing down "we aren't out of the woods yet".
"Especially hospital admissions are starting to increase, which we predict will continue to do so over the next two weeks", he added.
A record number of Brits were confirmed positive on Thursday, with 17,540 new infections - a steep increase on the 6,914 cases confirmed just a week earlier.
NHS data also revealed more than 600 Brits were admitted to hospital on Sunday — the largest number since early June.
There were also 77 coronavirus deaths reported on Thursday, the highest daily figure for more than three months.
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Prof Spector said that it was unclear if restrictions were helping to curb the spread.
"It’s unclear yet if local measures like the 10pm curfew have had a real impact but what is important is that people understand the risks in their area and the range of early symptoms found on the app.
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"The key to get this virus back under control is to follow the guidelines around self isolation.
"If you think you might have Covid-19 stay at home, get better and help to keep others safe and stop the spread of this virus.”