Record 1.7 Million People in UK Tested Positive for COVID-19 Last Week

MOSCOW, December 24 (Sputnik) - Over 1.7 million people across the United Kingdom had COVID-19 from December 13-19, which is the highest number of infections during the pandemic, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday.

According to the new data, last week 1,544,600 people in England tested positive for COVID-19. The infections increased in all age groups.

"In England, COVID-19 infections have increased in all regions except the South West in the latest week; the highest rates are in London where around 1 in 20 people had COVID-19 and lowest in the North East where around 1 in 55 people had COVID-19," the ONS said.

COVID-19 infections with the Omicron variant also increased across England with the highest rates observed in London and the lowest in the North East.

In Wales, 70,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 last week. About 44,900 people in Northern Ireland had COVID-19 during the same period. In Scotland, 79,200 people were infected from 13-19 December.

The United Kingdom has faced a surge in COVID-19 cases ahead of Christmas. The country has been breaking records for several days in the number of registered infections. The Ministry of Health has predicted that the number of Omicron infections in the country may exceed a million by the end of December.

On 8 December, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the country would move to the so-called plan B. The British are now encouraged to work from home whenever possible and required to wear a face covering. In addition, a COVID-19 pass confirming vaccination is now mandatory for visiting crowded places. Daily testing is required for those who may have come into contact with carriers of the coronavirus.