Covid-19 infections in the UK have jumped by more than half a million, with the increase likely due to the latest variants of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, figures show.
Hospital numbers also continue to rise, with early signs of an increase in intensive care admissions among older age groups.
A total of 2.3 million people in private households are thought to have had the virus last week, up 32% from the week before, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is the highest estimate for the total number of infections since the end of April, but is still slightly below the record of 4.9 million seen at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave in late March.
ONS figures show that in the summer of 2020, less than 0.1 per cent of the population in England tested positive, while in 2021 they were 1.57 per cent. It is now 3.35 percent.
Admissions to intensive care have increased among older people, UKHSA said
(PA cable)
Now a report from the Covid analysis app ZOE shows that headache has become the most commonly reported symptom.
The ZOE Covid Study app allows infected people to report their symptoms while suffering from the virus.
The data provided is then analyzed by researchers at King’s College London, who track infections across the UK, as well as identify who is most at risk and where the high-risk areas are.
More than two in three of all Covid patients who used the app reported suffering from headaches before they returned positive tests.
Some even had headaches before breathing difficulties.
Professor Tim Spector, who led the Zoe Health Study app, told The Guardian: “There are definitely a lot of people who got Covid earlier in the year who are getting it again, including some with BA.4/5 who had a BA .1/2 just four months ago that they thought would be protected.’
Sarah Crofts, ONS head of analytical results for the Covid-19 infection survey, said: “In the UK we have seen a steady increase of over half a million infections, possibly caused by the growth of BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
“This rise is seen across all ages, countries and regions of England.
“We will continue to monitor the data closely to see if this growth continues in the coming weeks.”
The virus remains most prevalent in Scotland, where 288,200 people are thought to have had Covid-19 last week, or one in 18.
The number one symptom is now headache according to the Covid ZOE app
(PA)
This is a weekly increase of 250,700, or one in 20, and the highest estimate for Scotland since the start of April. In England, 1.8 million people are believed to have had the virus last week, which equates to around one in 30.
That was up from 1.4 million, or one in 40, the previous week.
Wales saw infections jump to 106,000, or one in 30, from 68,500, or one in 45.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Clinical Programs at the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA), said: “We continue to see an increase in Covid-19 data, with cases and hospitalizations increasing in the over 65s, and outbreaks in nursing homes.
“We can now also see an increase in ICU admissions in older age groups.
“Vaccination remains the best defense against severe illness and hospitalization. Covid-19 is not gone and we all need to remember to maintain good hand and respiratory hygiene. It is also wise to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces.
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