London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 20, 2025

UK sees further drop in coronavirus numbers

UK sees further drop in coronavirus numbers

Coronavirus infections are continuing to decrease around the UK, Office for National Statistics data shows.

The figures, for the seven days up to 12 February, reveal fewer people are testing positive for the virus in the community than in recent weeks.

Experts warn that infection levels remain high however, with about 553,000 people found to have the virus.

And another 533 people in the UK have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test.

It brings the UK total to 119,920.

Daily figures show there were a further 12,027 new cases of coronavirus recorded in the UK on Friday.


More than 16.8 million people have had their first COVID vaccine dose, while 589,591 have had a second jab, bringing the total number of shots since the rollout began to nearly 17.5m.

The latest R number, estimated to be between 0.6 and 0.9, also suggests infection numbers are shrinking. It means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 6 and 9 other people.


Other studies of infection rates have shown a similar "strong" decline.

The ONS results, based on tests from people whether or not they had symptoms, suggest:

* One in 115 people in England has the virus (compared to one in 80 the week before)

* In Northern Ireland, it is one in 105 (compared to one in 75 previously)

* In Wales, it is one in 125 (compared to one in 85 before)

* In Scotland, it is one in 180 (compared to one in 150)

In England, there is some regional variation in the infection rate, although it is decreasing in all areas.

North-west England had the highest proportion of people of any region in England likely to test positive for coronavirus - at around one in 85 people.


For London the estimate was one in 100, and for the West Midlands it was one in 110.

Elsewhere, the estimates are:

* one in 120 people for the East Midlands and for Yorkshire and the Humber

* one in 125 people for eastern England

* one in 135 for north-east England, south-east England and south-west England

Cautious unlocking


It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to receive new data on the effect of vaccines on the spread of coronavirus, ahead of Monday's publication of a roadmap for easing the lockdown in England.

Downing Street has refused to comment on the likely contents of the unlocking plan amid press speculation.

The Welsh government has already announced some changes. From Saturday, four people from two different households will be allowed to exercise outdoors together. And from Monday, children in Wales aged between three and seven are returning to school - as are young children in Scotland.

Experts say any unlocking should be done slowly and cautiously to avoid a rebound surge in cases. There is still plenty of the virus circulating that people can catch.

Prof Neil Ferguson, whose modelling prompted the first lockdown last March, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was hopeful more restrictions could be lifted by the end of May.

"We will still have rules in place but... I think society will be a lot more normal."

Meanwhile, Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said it was wrong to speculate on whether summer holidays will be allowed this year: "I get how frustrating this is, it's completely natural. We all want to get a break from this, I get that. But it would wrong for me to start speculating now.

"We are assessing the numbers, we are making a judgment based on the science and we will be making an announcement on Monday. I can't go further than that."


A continued fall in new infections is one of the reassuring signs PM Boris Johnson will be considering this weekend, along with advisers, to decide if, when and how to start lifting some restrictions in England.

R is below 1, even with more infectious variants of the virus circulating, which is good news too.

But within the wider UK figures there are some regional differences that are worth keeping an eye on. Infection rates appear to be higher in some urban areas of England, for example.

Lessons from last year tell us that the virus can take off again if you unlock too quickly or too soon. 'One size fits all' may not be the best approach for every type of easing, although a shared priority is to get children back to school.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
×