Three years on from the beginning of the Covid pandemic, considerations have been raised a few new Covid variant that would result in a surge within the virus.
The World Well being Group (WHO) and UK Covid specialists have given warnings in regards to the extremely transmissible Omicron subvariant often known as XBB 1.5.
However the newest figures launched on the finish of December recommend there has but to be a surge in infections.
Within the week as much as 31 December, there was a 15.4 per cent drop in instances in England, with 36,605 testing constructive for the virus.
Maps based mostly on official UKHSA knowledge of infections present the very best charges are principally within the south of the nation.
Plymouth had the very best fee within the nation, with 137.7 whereas North Somerset and East Sussex each recorded Covid charges of 112.7.
Additional north, Norfolk additionally posted one of many larger charges, at 105.4.
The variety of folks in hospital in England who’ve examined constructive for coronavirus seems to be to have levelled off at simply over 9,000. The determine had been on an upwards path for the reason that begin of December. Hospital numbers topped 17,000 through the wave of infections in winter 2021-22.
Between 27 December and a couple of January, 6,967 folks went into hospital with the virus, a fall of 6.1 per cent in per week. Individuals over 85 are nonetheless the most definitely to wish hospital care.
UK Well being Safety Company chiefs mentioned the numbers needs to be handled with warning as typically there are delays in reporting hospital exercise at Christmas. This yr, the 2 days of financial institution vacation following it will even have contributed.
The NHS is continuous to face pressures from flu, Covid and strep A, and strike motion on high of that
(EPA)
There may additionally have been a brief lull within the transmission of viruses as a consequence of “reductions in social contact charges over the vacation”, they mentioned.
Nonetheless, the variety of deaths inside 28 days of a constructive coronavirus take a look at rose barely, to 873, a rise of 0.6 per cent.
Company chief govt Dame Jenny Harries mentioned: “Covid-19 additionally continues to flow into at excessive ranges and anybody eligible for a booster who has but to take it up ought to come ahead.”
Newest estimates from the company present that 81.9 per cent of individuals aged 80 and over have obtained the jab.
However ranges are a lot decrease amongst youthful teams. Nearly half of 55- to 59-year-olds haven’t had a contemporary dose of a coronavirus vaccine, together with practically six in 10 folks aged 50 to 54.
Separate figures recommend practically a 3rd of individuals with lengthy Covid within the UK are more likely to have been struggling the signs for 2 years or extra.
Some 645,000 of these with lengthy Covid are estimated to have first examined constructive for the virus a minimum of 24 months in the past.
That is 30 per cent of everybody more likely to have the signs at the beginning of December, in accordance with the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS).
The determine is up from 27 per cent in November. It’s estimated the equal of round one in 30 of the UK inhabitants had lengthy Covid final month.