Covid: UK Covid-19 infections hit two million but rate of increase may be slowing

Total Covid-19 infections in the UK have climbed above two million for the first time since July, but levels are not rising in all parts of the country.

There is also a “mixed picture” age groups, while there are signs the rate of increase may be slowing with just over 2.0 million people in private households in the UK are likely to have tested positive for coronavirus in the week to October 10, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is up 15% from 1.7 million in the previous week and is the highest total since the week to July 26.

In Scotland the number of people with Covid-19 in the latest survey was estimated at 144,400, or one in 35, compared with 109,700 in the previous survey, or one in 50, while infections are continuing to increase in England and Wales.

The jump of 15 per cent is smaller than those seen in the past few weeks and comes as separate figures show the recent rise in Covid-19 hospital patients may have levelled off.

Sarah Crofts, ONS deputy director for the Covid-19 infection survey, said: “Infections have continued to increase across England and Wales, with uncertain trends in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

“Though infections have increased overall in England, it is a mixed picture across regions and age groups.

“It is too early to say from the data whether overall recent rises are starting to slow, but we will continue to monitor the data closely.”

In England, the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in the week to October 10 was 1.7 million, or around one in 30 people – up from 1.5 million, or one in 35, in the previous week.

Wales is also continuing to see a rise, where the latest estimate for infections is 117,600, or one in 25 people, up from 74,900, or one in 40.

The trend is less clear in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the ONS have said.

For Northern Ireland the estimate is 44,200 infections, or one in 40 people, compared with 45,100, which is also one in 40.