The UK has recorded 50,091 Covid infections and 160 deaths on Friday, according to the latest daily figures.
On this day last week, 157 deaths within 28 days of a positive test and 44,242 daily cases were recorded in the UK.
It means an 11.6 per cent rise in cases compared with last Friday, and an increase of more than six percent on yesterday when 47,240 cases were recorded.
The last time case numbers exceeded 50,000 was on October 21, when the UK recorded 52,009 infections.
In the latest 24-hour period, 23,579 people received their first Covid jab, while a further 22,823 second doses were administered.
Official figures show England’s Covid-19 weekly reproduction “R” number has risen above one, with latest estimates showing it between 1.0 and 1.1.
Last week, it was estimated to be between 0.8 and 1.0.
Passengers arriving from those countries after 4am on Sunday will be required to spend 10 days in a quarantine hotel at a cost of £2,285.
Those arriving before then will need to self-isolate at home for 10 days and take additional coronavirus tests.
Direct flights from the six countries are banned until the hotel quarantine scheme resumes, leading to cancellations by airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
Friday’s figures released by the Government also show some 29.2 per cent of the population aged over 12 have now had the booster jab, with another 396,081 administered yesterday taking the total to 16,779,656.
As of 22 November, a further 730 people have been admitted to the hospital after a positive coronavirus test, with 5,555 hospital admissions in the last seven-day period.
