London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Covid infections jump by half a million in UK, says ONS

Covid infections jump by half a million in UK, says ONS

Covid infections are rising again across the UK, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

An estimated 2.3 million people or one in 30 has the virus - a rise of 32% on the week before.

The rise is being driven by two new fast-spreading sub-variants of Omicron - called BA.4 and BA.5.

People can be infected even if they've had Covid before, but jabs are helping to protect against serious illness.

Health officials are urging anyone over 75 who has not had a vaccine or booster in the past six months, to get one.

In the week ending 24 June, the ONS estimates Covid rates were:

*  One in 30 in England - up from one in 40 the week before

*  One in 30 in Wales - up from one in 45

*  One in 25 in Northern Ireland - up from one in 30

*  One in 18 in Scotland - up from one in 20

Sarah Crofts, from the ONS, said: "Across the UK we've seen a continued increase of over half a million infections, likely caused by the growth of BA.4 and BA.5 variants."

In its analysis of England, it found infections were going up in all regions and in all age groups.

In Scotland, which has had the highest Covid rates in the UK since the end of May, the rise in infections may be slowing slightly.



What's happening in hospitals?


In England, almost 9,000 hospital beds were taken up with Covid patients on 30 June - and that number has doubled since the start of the month.

Data from the other UK nations is not as up-to-date but suggests a similar rise over the last month.

The number of Covid patients in hospital is currently still way below the record high of more than 34,000 in January 2021, during the wave of the Alpha variant of coronavirus.

Not all hospital patients testing positive for Covid are being treated for it - some are there for another reason, but it can make their care more difficult.

This applies to about two-thirds of patients in hospital at the moment.

The number of Covid patients in intensive care has reached 211 in England, which is an increase from 111 at the start of June.

Back in January 2021, more than 3,700 people needed this type of care at a time where intensive care units were in danger of being overwhelmed.


Health officials are advising anyone aged over 75 who hasn't had a vaccine in the past six months, to get a booster jab to help protect against becoming seriously ill with Covid and ending up in hospital.

About 16% of that age group haven't yet taken up the offer, says Dr Mary Ramsay, director of clinical programmes, from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

She also urged people to think about reducing spread when mixing with others.

"It is sensible to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces.

"If you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection, and a high temperature or feel unwell, try to stay at home or away from others - especially elderly or vulnerable people," Dr Ramsay said.

Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser for Covid at UKHSA, told the BBC: "I think it's far from a bad cold."

People are experiencing illness for seven to 10 days, she said, and while they had symptoms "they should avoid other people".

"Avoid going to those festivals, avoid going to events and avoid indoor places, because that increases the risk of transmission in all of those places," she added.

Virologist Dr Julian Tang, from the University of Leicester, said the sub-variants now spreading were likely to cause more problems.

"We may see more cases with more hospitalisations during the summer - especially in the unvaccinated, and in those whose vaccine and natural immunity is waning."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×