An estimated 1.4 million people in UK had Covid in week to December 16, according to the ONS
An estimated 1.4 million people in the UK had Covid-19 in the week ending December 16 - the highest number since comparable figures began in autumn 2020.
Data scientists estimate 1.2 million of Covid infections were in England - this is the highest number since the ONS began estimating infection levels for the country in May 2020. In Northern Ireland, the latest estimate is that 37,800 were infected - one in 50 people, also unchanged from the previous week and slightly below the record high of one in 40 in mid-August.
The percentage of cases compatible with the Omicron variant has also increased in all four UK countries, the ONS found.Sarah Crofts, head of analytical outputs for the Covid-19 Infection Survey, said: “The percentage of cases compatible with the Omicron variant has clearly increased across the UK. This is most apparent in England where Omicron appears to have risen sharply, though with significant regional variations.