Covid-19 infections and hospital admissions rise in run-up to Christmas
Covid-19 infections and hospital admissions continued to rise in the UK in the run-up to Christmas, new figures show.
Infections increased in England and Scotland earlier in the week to December, while the trend in Wales and Northern Ireland was uncertain, figures show.
A total of 1.4 million people in private households in the UK were likely to test positive for coronavirus in the week ending December 9.
More recent data shows the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 in England, Scotland and Wales is on a clear upward trend, with patients in England up 29% in the past week to the highest level for nearly two months.
Sarah Crofts, ONS deputy director for infection survey analysis, said: "Today’s data show that Covid-19 infections have risen for the fourth consecutive week in England, with cases also continuing to rise in Scotland."
The UK is facing its third winter in a row with Covid-19 on the rise.
But unlike in 2020 and 2021, when coronavirus was the main driver of sickness and hospitalisations, this winter has also seen a sharp jump in flu cases, putting extra pressure on NHS staff already struggling to clear a record backlog of treatment.
Dr Mary Ramsay, director of public health programmes at the UK Health Security Agency, confirmed there has been a rise in hospital admissions “for both flu and Covid-19 as people continue to mix indoors this winter”, adding it was “important to avoid contact with other people if you are unwell, in order to help stop infections spreading over the Christmas and new year period”.
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In England, one in 45 – 1.2 million people – were likely to have Covid-19 earlier this month, up from one in 60 at the end of last month.
Hospital data gives a more up-to-date indication of the prevalence of Covid-19, with figures published this week suggesting the virus is circulating at increasing levels in much of the UK.
The number of people in hospital in England testing positive for Covid-19 stood at 8,643 on December 21, up 29% week-on-week and the highest total since late October.