One in 60 people in private households had Covid-19 in the week to October 9, up from one in 70 the previous week.
Covid infection levels in England are getting close to the peak seen at the height of the second wave and are mostly being driven by rates among schoolchildren, data shows.
Estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that around one in 10 schoolchildren in Years 7 to 11 in England was estimated to have Covid last week – the highest positivity rate for any age group.
Rates have also increased for people aged 50 to 69, those aged 70 and over, and there are early signs of a possible increase for people from school Year 12 to age 24.
Our latest #COVID19 infection estimates show rates
▪️ increased in England and Wales
▪️ are uncertain in Northern Ireland
▪️ decreased in Scotland.➡️ https://t.co/G5ZUumw1HS pic.twitter.com/NlLaaPUSTa
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) October 15, 2021
Overall, one in 60 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to October 9, up from one in 70 the previous week.
One in 60 is the equivalent of about 890,000 people. At the peak of the second wave in early January, around one in 50 was estimated to have coronavirus.
In Wales, around one in 45 people was thought to have Covid-19 in the week to October 9, up from one in 55 the previous week and the highest since estimates began in July 2020.
Read More: Covid infection levels rise in England, driven by rates among children
