Covid cases rising in UK and official R rate increases as Christmas nears

THE UK’s official coronavirus R rate could be as high as 1.2 in some areas as infections continue to creep up.

It comes as both experts and ministers have warned that a new Covid variant which has been found in five countries could make its way to the UK.

Around one in 65 Brits are now believed to have the bug, with infections still being highest in school aged kids.

The R rate now sits between 1.0 and 1.1 and could be as high as 1.2 in the South East and London.

This is up from 0.8 to 1.0, which it had held steady at since November 12.

London and the South East have the highest rate, between 0.9 and 1.2, with the East of England, the Midlands, the North East and Yorkshire and the South West all sitting between 0.9 and 1.1.

The R rate is the lowest in the North West, where it sits between 0.8 and 1.1.

This is consistent with data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which states the number of people testing positive for the bug in the North West has decreased in the last week.

In the week up to November 12, it’s estimated that 824,900 people had tested positive with the bug – this week this has gone up to 862,300 people.

Sarah Crofts, Head of Analytical Outputs for the Covid-19 Infection Survey today said that the picture across the UK is mixed, with recent increases in Scotland and Northern Ireland combined with uncertain trends in England and Wales.  

She said: “The uncertain picture across England is as a result of different trends in different parts of the country and among people in different age groups.

“School age children still have the highest levels of infection despite a decreasing trend over the last few weeks for those of secondary school ages.  

“It is too early to say whether increases seen in Northern Ireland and Scotland will continue.”

As infections climb in the UK, experts have warned that Brits could see another lockdown after a new variant emerged.

STRAIN WORRIES

The variant, scientifically called B.1.1.529, has not yet been confirmed in the UK as of yet, but has already made its way to Belgium, Israel, Hong Kong, South Africa and Botswana.

It is the most evolved so far with 32 mutations, and could be worse than Delta, experts have warned.

Its power has sparked a sudden ban on flights from six nations to the UK.

Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said more needs to be learned about the new variant.

Prof Finn said: “On the one hand, I don’t want to induce unnecessary anxiety in people, but on the other hand, I think we all need to be ready for the possibility of a change in the restrictions.”

He explained that it was too hard to say if the new variant could impact Christmas plans for Brits.

Prof Finn said that the surge of cases in South Africa could be linked to the variant’s transmissibility.

“We now need to wait and see just what kind of threat this new variant may pose.

“If we’re lucky, it won’t be a serious one, but it could be very serious”, he added.

A No10 spokesman said there’s “nothing in our current data to suggest that we need to move to Plan B”.