London emerges as new hotspot in UK, 1-in-85 people infected

London now has the highest percentage of people testing positive for novel coronavirus amida new strain of Covid-19 that UK officials believe spreads faster, as per theOffice for National Statistics.

One in 85 people in England had coronaviruslast week, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday.

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The figures represent a stark increase from the previous week when one in 95 people were thought to have the virus.

The prevalence of COVID-19 cases in England jumped again in the week to December18, with around 645,800 peopleestimated to be infected.

"The percentage of people testing positive has continued to increase sharply in London, the East of England, and the South East; London now has the highest percentage of people testing positive," the ONS said.

Separately on Thursday, England's Test and Trace service said it had recorded a 58per centweek-on-week increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases detected.

It said during the week Dec. 10-16, 139,332 positive cases were transferred to its contact tracers, 88.1per centof whom were reached and told to self-isolate, a slight rise on 87.5per centrecorded in the previous week.

The proportion of the contacts of positive cases reached remained consistent at 92.6 per cent, it said.

In response to the growing number of coronavirus cases, Britain ordered a series of coronavirus restrictions across the affected areas.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Wednesday announced the expansion of strict lockdown measures across further parts of the south of England to contain the spread of the disease.

With more than 68,000 deaths from the virus, the United Kingdom is one of the hardest hit countries in Europe.