One in 95 people across England were infected with COVID last week, figures have shown.
The statistics represent the highest rates of infection since February and are cause for concern ahead of next week’s ‘Freedom Day’, where most legal restrictions and social distancing guidance will be lifted.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that in the week ending July 10, there were 577,700 cases of Coronavirus in England, with the North West being the hardest hit. This is the first time since the height of the second wave that 1% of the English population has been infected with the virus.
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Deaths are also on the rise, hitting a four-month high of 63 fatalities across the UK in the last 24 hours, along with 43,000 new cases. However, the number of deaths continues to remain significantly lower than when cases were this high in previous months, as the strength of the vaccination programme continues to help ease the pressure previously placed on the NHS.
England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty has warned that the increase in cases will continue following the lifting of restrictions, with hospitalisations having the potential to double every three weeks across the summer.
“I don't think we should underestimate the fact that we could get into trouble again surprisingly fast,” Professor Whitty told a web seminar on Thursday.
“We are in much better shape due to the vaccine programme, and drugs, and a variety of other things.
"But this has got a long way to run in the UK, and it's got even further to run globally," the Chief Medical Officer said.
Despite the increase in cases, the R number for England remains the same as last week, between 1.2 and 1.4, showing the strengths of the vaccine programme.
July 19 will see almost all legal restrictions lifted, however, ministers are encouraging people to continue wearing face masks in busy areas such as shops and public transport. On Monday, the Prime Minister said that he would still “expect and recommend” that people continue to use face-coverings after the lifting of restrictions.
Across Merseyside, case numbers have decreased in the past week to a number of 2,421 across the last seven days, with three people sadly dying. Riverside is currently the highest infected area, with 617 cases per 100,000 people.
Over half a million vaccine doses have now been handed out across Liverpool, with 229,000 people receiving both jabs ahead of the lifting of restrictions.
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