Coronavirus cases in the UK have risen by 33,196 with a further deaths 61 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours.
This is the 12th day in a row that infections have surged by more than 30,000.
Last Sunday the UK recorded 32,000 new cases and 49 fatalities within 28 days of a positive test
Yesterday, there were 32,406 new cases and 133 deaths.
The latest figures come as official data shows Covid cases in England are 26 times higher than they were this time last year.
The 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 just one in 1,900 people had Covid this time last year, according to the ONS figures.
He added: “This means that community infections are 26 times more common than a year ago, when the population was unvaccinated, and the country was three months into its re-opening.
"This time, the vaccine programme is keeping down the number of hospitalisations and deaths but increasing numbers of community infections still translate into growing numbers of very sick covid patients, and an unnecessarily high burden on the NHS."
Fears are mounting over cases rising even further as schools reopen in England next week.
In Scotland, where pupils have already returned, daily cases have since surged to record levels.
And Independent Sage scientist Prof Christina Pagel fears a similar spike in England is on the cards.
She said: “It’s pretty likely there will be a significant surge in children.
“Even though we are vaccinating 16 to 17-year-olds, that’s not going to kick in until the middle of September. If we do start vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds, that’s not going to help until October.
“In that sense we’ve left it too late to do much about a September surge.
“Many highly vaccinated countries are struggling with Delta, but we are one of the countries that does have the fewest public health protections.”
Plans are being drawn up to jab over-12s but approval from the Government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is still pending.
Dr Clarke said the figures were 'sobering' and showed the UK was 'running hot' with its Covid management plan.
He added: "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."
