The number of delta variant coronavirus cases has risen by 46% in the space of one week as infections rose by more than 50,000, new official figures show.
New Public Health England (PHE) figures showed they were up by 50,824 or 46% on the previous week.
The delta variant continues to account for approximately 95% of confirmed cases across the UK.
PHE says a total 161,981 cases of the mutant strain had now been counted across the country so far, according to Friday's update.
Of those, were 148,538 were in England, 10,185 in Scotland, 1,749 in Wales and 1,509 in Northern Ireland.
The delta variant continues to account for approximately 95% of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the UK.
The new data comes after 28,000 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK in just 24 hours to Thursday- the highest daily figure since January.
The surge was the highest daily increase since January 29.
It brought the total number testing positive in the past seven days to 146,360, a massive 71.8% higher than the previous week.
The spike in delta variant cases has been blamed for skyrocketing school absences this week.
The government has come under fire for its 'bubble' isolation system which has seen thousands of pupils sent home from school.
Just one case were forcing classes and sometimes entire year groups to go home and learn remotely again.
The latest figures released this week showed more than 375,000 children were out of class on June 24 due to the virus.
The school bubble system was expected to be dropped from July 19 if the plan to ditch most social distancing restrictions on the new 'freedom day' went ahead as expected, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said.
Currently, pupils must isolate for 10 days if another child in their bubble tests positive for Covid.
The rise in delta variant numbers was not being accompanied by a spike in hospitalisations or deaths.
A total 22 new deaths across the UK were reported on Thursday.
There were 1,795 people in hospital with the virus across the country, with 287 on ventilation.
A total of 44.9 million people had received a first dose of a vaccine and 33m had received a second dose.
New health secretary Sajid Javid was bullish this week about pushing ahead as he vowed to finally end lockdown, telling MPs in the Commons on Monday Britain "has to learn to live with Covid."
Speculation is growing that the government will add more travel destinations to the green list even as delta variant case numbers grow.
Boris Johnson said this week that double-jabbed travellers should be allowed to travel to amber list countries without quarantining on return later this month.
The Prime Minister did not give a date for the change to the international travel rules.
