The latest Covid reproduction number (R rate) for the UK shows a slight rise to 0.9-1.1 from 0.8-1.1 last week.
The news comes as surge testing was due to be extended across five London boroughs in a bid to stop the spread of the Indian variant.
Meanhwile, Boris Johnson has pledged the UK’ support for a new global surveillance network to spot emerging diseases before they can cause fresh pandemics.
The World Health Organisation is leading work to develop the "global pandemic radar" to monitor and track new infections and variants.
