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| Covid: Record 4.9 million people have the virus in UK | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| About one in every 13 people in the UK has coronavirus, according to latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). | |
| That is some 4.9 million people, up from 4.3 million people the week before. | That is some 4.9 million people, up from 4.3 million people the week before. |
| ONS officials say that is the highest number seen since its survey began at the end of April 2020. | |
| The surge in infections is being driven partly by the contagious Omicron BA.2 sub-variant and people mixing more. | |
| The figures for the week ending 26 March are thought to give the most accurate reflection of what's happening with the virus in the community. | |
| The ONS survey tests thousands of people randomly in households across the UK - whether or not they have symptoms. | |
| Kara Steel, senior statistician for the Covid-19 infection survey, said: "Infection levels remain high, with the highest levels recorded in our survey seen in England and Wales and notable increases among older age groups." | Kara Steel, senior statistician for the Covid-19 infection survey, said: "Infection levels remain high, with the highest levels recorded in our survey seen in England and Wales and notable increases among older age groups." |
| The latest data comes on the day that most people in England will have to start paying for Covid-19 tests. | The latest data comes on the day that most people in England will have to start paying for Covid-19 tests. |
| The government's "living with Covid" plan means free testing will only continue for certain groups - including some people with weakened immune systems, people admitted to hospital and health and care staff. | |
| Estimated infection rates across the nations showed: | |
| One in 13 people in England had coronavirus - about 7.6% of the population, up from 6.4% the week before | |
| One in 14 people in Wales - or 7% of the population - up from 6.4% the previous week | One in 14 people in Wales - or 7% of the population - up from 6.4% the previous week |
| One in 12 people in Scotland - or 8.6% , down from 9% the week before | One in 12 people in Scotland - or 8.6% , down from 9% the week before |
| One in 15 people in Northern Ireland - or 6.7% of the population, down from 5.9% the week before | One in 15 people in Northern Ireland - or 6.7% of the population, down from 5.9% the week before |
| In England and Wales infections continued to rise, while overall trends in Scotland and Northern Ireland were uncertain. | |
| The number of people in Covid beds in hospitals has returned to January 2022 levels, data from NHS England suggests. | |
| But there is a key difference - in January about 56% of people in Covid beds in hospitals were being treated mainly for their Covid, but as of Tuesday (29 March) that figure is down to about 44%. | |
| And the number of people being treated for very severe Covid infections and needing intensive care remain low - as vaccinations continue to protect people from severe disease. | |
| Rates in older people continue to be a concern. | |
| On Thursday, Prof Sir Johnathan Van-Tam, speaking on his last day as England's deputy chief medical officer, said protecting older age groups kept him up at night. | |
| At a Royal Society of Medicine conference, he said: "Case rates here in the UK are really, really high and hospitalisations in London, for example, are becoming exceptionally high again. | |
| "And what keeps me awake at night is whether the people we have called - over-75s - for their second booster dose are going to come forward really rapidly and really quickly in the next few days and weeks, because it is going to be important." | |
| People aged over 75 and those who have weakened immune systems can book a spring booster jab to top up their protection against the virus. |