Covid infections in the UK plummet by 21% in a week in first fall in all four nations in three months

It is the first time cases have fallen in all four UK nations since Mid-August
Covid-19 lateral flow test showing a positive result
PA Wire
Daniel Keane11 November 2022

Covid infections have fallen 21 per cent week-on-week in a sign that the autumn wave may be beginning to fade.

All four UK nations experienced a drop for in cases for the first time since mid-August, the Office for National Statistics said.

The total number of people in private households in the UK testing positive for the virus stood at 1.5 million in the week to November 1, down from 1.9 million in the previous week, according to the figures.

Around one in 40 people in England tested positive during the period, the figures showed. This is down from one in 35 last week.

An estimated 2.2 per cent of the population in London received a positive result - down 0.4 per cent on the previous week.

The figures will ease fears for NHS bosses that a “twindemic” of flu and Covid will put pressure on the health service this winter. The NHS is already facing widespread industrial action, a record 7.1 million backlog in treatment and unprecedented pressure in A&E departments.

Infections continue to fall in London despite the capital’s low rate of vaccination. Just over a third (39.5 per cent) of adults aged over 50 had received their autumn booster jab as of November 9.

Under two-thirds of Londoners (64.9 per cent) aged 12 and over had received two vaccine doses as of the same date.

However, just 62 patients were in mechanical ventilation beds as of November 9 - the lowest figure in seven weeks.

There were 996 Covid-19 patients in hospitals in the capital on the same date, again the lowest figure since late September.

But Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, told the Standard that there was still a prospect of another wave of cases in the New Year even though infections have declined in the past fortnight.

“This current wave appears to have peaked at a slightly lower level, but the real threat will probably come later this year between December and February. Infection rates might be dropping but we are not over this yet.”

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