The number of people infected with the coronavirus broke new records last week in the UK with one in 20 people affected and peaks at one in 10 in London, according to official estimates released on Wednesday 5 January.
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According to the National Statistics Office (ONS), which is based on a representative sample, 3.7 million people had Covid-19 in the last week of 2021, for a population of 67 million in the United Kingdom.
One in 15 people was infected in England, one in 20 in Scotland and Wales and one in 25 in Northern Ireland.
No new restrictions in England
These figures illustrate the scale of the wave of contaminations hitting the United Kingdom, pushing millions of Britons to isolate themselves during the holidays and disrupting the functioning of many sectors, from transport to schools. This particularly concerns the health system, which is nevertheless faced with an increase in hospitalizations. Although the UK has already passed the threshold of 200,000 cases per day and increasing pressure on the hospital system, Prime Minister Boris Johnson again refused on Tuesday to toughen health measures beyond telecommuting and wearing masks already in force for England.
The other regions of the country, whose local governments determine their own policy in this area, have implemented more stringent measures.
Restrictions on large gatherings, distancing measures and table service in pubs are, for example, extended until at least January 17, Scottish Prime Minister (pro-independence) Nicola Sturgeon announced on Wednesday.
