Maps tracking how Covid rates have changed as lockdown eases reveal soaring rates across the UK as the Delta variant ripped through the country.
In April the UK was recording an average of less than 2,500 cases a day, but this progressively rose as restrictions were eased.
However dire predictions that the country could soon be recording 100,000 infections each day have yet to transpire, and deaths and hospitalisations remain far lower than previous waves.
In England alone, public health chiefs believe that more than 100,000 lives have been saved by the vaccination rollout.
Nevertheless, the number of people being treated in hospital for the virus has more than trebled in two months, as scientists warn we could face a difficult winter.
Yesterday the Department of Health announced 26,476 people had tested positive for Covid-19 - the first time it had dipped below 30,000 in 13 days.
Infections remain considerably lower than they did in the winter peak, when a record 81,491 cases were confirmed on December 29 - days before a panicked Boris Johnson plunged England back into a full lockdown.
In mid April the majority of the UK had infection rates of less than 50 per 100,000 people, although there was a band across Northern England where rates were higher.
On April 12 non-essential shops were permitted to reopen, while pubs and restaurants were allowed to serve customers outdoors.
Hairdressers, gyms and libraries also threw their doors open once again, while holidaying in the UK was permitted as long as you did not mix with other households.
The following month, on May 17, indoor meetings in groups of up to six were allowed again, with pubs and restaurants finally permitted to serve customers inside.
Cases had plummeted across Wales and the South West of England, while the North had mostly bucked the rise in infections.
Click here to see an interactive map showing cases in your area
The number of people allowed to meet outdoors was raised from six to 30 as families and friends reunited after a bleak winter and spring.
By this point there were less than 2,000 cases being confirmed a day, and the number of people in hospital had fallen below 1,000 as the vaccine rollout continued at a fast pace.
However the Delta variant was also gathering pace, forcing the PM to postpone England's Freedom Day, which was originally scheduled for June 21.
Parts of the North West were recording more than 100 cases per 100,000, while hotspots were emerging in the North East, the Midlands and South West of England.
Instead Covid rules were lifted on July 19, with new Health Secretary Sajid Javid warning that cases could soon top 100,000 a day over the summer.
A map showing infection rates across the UK in mid July paints a bleak picture, with large swathes of the country recording rates of more than 400 cases per 100,000.
However the number of people vaccinated had climbed dramatically, with more than 36.2 million receiving their second jab by July 19.
This provided a shield and prevented tens of thousands of fatalities and hospitalisatons.
Last week Public Health England said it estimates between 102,500 and 109,500 deaths have been prevented by the vaccination rollout.
To the bafflement of experts, the huge surge in infections after Freedom Day has yet to happen, although many are anxious that schools reopening next month could lead to a surge in infections.
By August 25, the infection map reveals that rates were falling across England, although Scotland has seen a rise, with many areas now above 400 cases per 100,000.
Yesterday The Mirror reported that the number of patients in hospital with Covid is at its highest level since March following a 350 per cent rise in two months.
Nearly 7,000 people were being treated for the virus last week, latest Department of Health data shows.
NHS trusts in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester had England's highest numbers of coronavirus patients, while all of the country's 10 worst hit hospitals have seen a dramatic rise in cases since Freedom Day.
In its latest Covid update, the Department of Health said 6,942 people were being treated for the virus in hospitals across the UK on Thursday.
This is up from 4,641 on July 19, the day remaining Covid restrictions were lifted - giving a green light to large events and an end to social distancing rules.
Two months before the latest figures, on June 26, as the Delta variant was ripping through the country, 1,542 people were in hospital with Covid.
Nearly 1,000 people are in ventilation beds, the Department of Health said.
Hospital cases remain low compared to the winter peak, however.
On January 15 there were 38,132 people being treated for the virus across the UK, while the number did not fall below 10,000 between October 26 and March 5.
Office for National Statistics figures show that weekly estimated infections jumped from 28,200 in late August last year to 756,900 for the same period this month.
This means that roughly one in 70 people had coronavirus in the week up to August 20, compared to one in 1,900 in August 2020.
Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said: "We are likely to see numbers increase in the weeks ahead due to a number of reasons.
"Cooler autumn weather, leading to increased indoor social mixing, is likely to drive further increases in the coming weeks.
"The end of summer holidays and return of people to work and education, without clear guidance on physical measures to avoid transmission such as mask wearing or social distancing, is also likely to push up infection rates."
