UK records 94,524 more Covid cases and 250 deaths as infections jump one fifth in a week

Another 250 deaths have been reported within 28 days of a positive Covid test
Michael Howie22 March 2022

Another 94,524 Covid-19 infections were reported on Tuesday, with the latest data revealing infections have surged by about a fifth week-on-week.

Tuesday’s figure is 14 per cent lower that the 109,802 cases reported on Tuesday, March 15.

However, looking at a wider timeframe clearly suggests infections are on the rise. Some 592,459 cases were reported in last seven days, 100,356 - 20.4 per cent - more than the previous seven days.

Another 250 deaths have also been reported within 28 days of a positive Covid test, a significant rise compared with Monday’s figure of 169.

It is the highest number since February 9, when 276 deaths were recorded within 28 days of a positive Covid test.

In London, another 57,186 daily cases have been reported, meaning the capital now has a seven-day infection rate of 635.2 per 100,000 population.

According to the latest figures, infection rates are highest in the South West (1,200.1) and South East (1,030.2).

The number of people in hospitals with Covid-19 stood at 16,271 on Monday, 781 more than the 15,491 reported on Sunday. Two weeks earlier the number was just 11,447, but the latest figure is still a long way believe the near-40,000 patients witnessed during the pandemic peak in January 2021.

Rates of Covid-linked absences rose to 2.5 per cent on March 17, up from 0.7 per cent on March 3.

In total, 201,600 pupils were off for Covid-related reasons on March 17, up from 45,100 on March 3.

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And an estimated 9.1 per cent of teachers and school leaders were absent on March 17, up from 5.8 per cent on March 3.

Some 23 per cent of all state schools had more than 15% of their teachers and school leaders absent, up from 11 per cent on March 3, the data shows.

Any more disruption could be “seriously damaging” to pupils’ exam chances, as well as their ability to make up for learning missed because of the pandemic, headteachers said.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: “These figures are absolutely in line with what we have been hearing from our members. Covid cases have been spiking again in many schools over the past week or so - in line with the rising numbers nationally.”

Meanwhile, new analysis suggests Covid-19 may have indirectly accelerated mortality in certain causes of death including dementia and Alzheimer's disease, with more deaths than usual in the early stage of the pandemic but fewer in more recent months.

Most leading causes of mortality, including liver disease, diabetes and old age, saw a similar proportion of deaths that were above the pre-pandemic average - known as “excess deaths” - in both 2020 and 2021.

But deaths due to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease showed a “notably different trend”, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

From March to December 2020, deaths in England and Wales due to these causes were 9.7 per cent higher than usual, with a total of 4,990 excess deaths.

By contrast, in 2021, deaths due to dementia and Alzheimer's disease were 4,417 below average, representing a 6.7 per cent decrease.

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