The UK has recorded 49,298 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours as the country's R-rate is worryingly at its highest since the end of July in England.
Meanwhile, a further 180 coronavirus deaths were logged.
It comes after 115 deaths and 52,009 new cases were tallied yesterday.
Today's grim figures come as the R number in England is as high as 1.2 - meaning coronavirus cases in the country are growing at their fastest rate in months.
England's Covid-19 weekly reproduction "R" number was estimated to have risen to between 1.0 and 1.2, the UK Health Security Agency said on Friday.
Get all the latest news sent to your inbox. Sign up for the free Mirror newsletter
An R number between 1.0 and 1.2 means that for every 10 people infected, they will on average infect between 10 and 12 other people.
Last week R was estimated between 0.9 and 1.1.
The last time the R rate was higher was in July.
UKHSA said regional estimates of R and growth rate had been paused while it investigated the impact of incorrect negative PCR test results on estimates in the South West, South East and London following an issue in a lab, which was suspended last week.
In other worrying news, large numbers of people currently have the virus in England.
One in every 55 people in England had Covid last week, a big jump compared to the week before, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.
The latest estimate from the organisation warns that as many as 1,028,800 may have had coronavirus last week.
Two weeks ago, one in 60 people in England were infected, meaning rates are rising rapidly.
At the peak of the second wave in early January, around one in 50 were estimated to have coronavirus.
It comes as scientific advisors have said the government should ensure "Plan B" restrictions can be "rapidly" brought in if needed.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) predict a series of broader, flatter peaks as the virus continues to spread.
The group's advice to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet were published in meeting minutes on October 14.
Ministers were warned that “earlier intervention would reduce the need for more stringent, disruptive, and longer-lasting measures”.
Sage evidence showed that Government advice to work from home would be the most effective measure, compared with mask-wearing and the introduction of Covid passports.
However, earlier this week Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government was not invoking its Covid contingency plans despite warning there could be 100,000 cases a day.
