COVID-19 is surging among older school children, experts warned today.
There were an average of 51,900 new cases per day of Covid-19 in the community in England between October 17 and 23, according to the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is up from an estimated 35,200 new cases per day for the period from October 10 to 16.
The rate of new infections has continued to increase in recent weeks, according to the report.
Katherine Kent, Co-head of analysis for the COVID-19 Infection Survey, said: “Following the expansion of ONS infection survey we are now seeing evidence of increases in COVID-19 infections across the UK.
“When looking at infections across different age groups, rates now seem to be steeply increasing among secondary school children whilst older teenagers and young adults continue to have the highest levels of infection.”
She added: “In England, infections have continued to rise steeply with increases in all regions apart from in the North East where infections appear to have now levelled off.
“Wales and Northern Ireland have also all seen increased infections, though it is currently too early to see a certain trend in Scotland where we have been testing for a shorter period.”
In London, the disease is spreading but the prevalence of the virus is lower than in the North and Midlands, though higher than in the South East, South West and Eastern region.
An estimated 568,100 people in private households in England had Covid-19 between October 17 and 23, the ONS said.
This is the equivalent of around 1.04 per cent of the population.
The figures represent a jump from 433,300 people, or 0.79 per cent of the population, who were estimated to have Covid-19 in the previous week of October 10 to 16.
The figures do not include people staying in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.
