As 3.5 million people had Covid in England last week, experts call for tighter restrictions

The UK is currently witnessing a huge surge in coronavirus cases. Last week, around 3.5 million people in England had Covid.

The infections have risen to their second highest level ever, the official data shows.

The PM’s scientific advisers have also started to call for tighter restrictions.

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Around 3.48 million people were carrying the virus at any given time in the week beginning from March 19, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said as per an estimate. It is a 31 per cent rise compared to the previous week.

In a week, Covid levels rose by around one million. It is now approaching the peak of the Omicron wave. A record 3.74 million people in England had virus in the first week of January.

In every corner of the UK, the infections are rising. In Scotland, they have already surpassed the previous peak. Now, one in 11 Scots seems to have been infected in the recent week, the ONS said.

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Hospitalisations are also high in Scotland and are currently rising in England.

SAGE member Professor Matt Keeling said, "With the withdrawal of free testing from April 1, this ability of the public to assess and respond to the risk of infection has been removed. Lateral flow tests are relatively inexpensive, and could even be cost saving if they help prevent sufficiently many hospital admissions."

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Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser, UK Health Security Agency, asked citizens to wear masks in enclosed spaces.

(With inputs from agencies)