Covid infections estimated to have risen for first time since height of Omicron wave

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Coronavirus infections in the UK are estimated to have risen for the first time since March at the height of the Omicron wave. A total of 989,800 people in private households in the UK are estimated to have had the virus in the week ending June 2, up from 953,900 the previous week, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

It's the first time total infections have risen week-on-week since the end of March, when the number hit a record 4.9 million at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave. The rise is likely to have been caused by a jump in infections compatible with the original Omicron variant BA.1, along with the newer variants BA.4 and BA.5.

It comes as separate figures suggest the recent drop in the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 may also have come to a halt. All four nations have seen a slight rise in the prevalence of the virus, though the ONS describes the trend in Scotland and Wales as 'uncertain'.

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In England, 797,500 people were likely to test positive for Covid-19 last week – the equivalent of about one in 70. This is up week on week from 784,100, which was also about one in 70.

Northern Ireland has seen infections rise for the second week in a row to stand at 27,700 people, or one in 65, up from 24,300 people, or one in 75. In Scotland, 124,100 people were likely to have had the virus last week, or one in 40, up from 105,900, or one in 50.

Wales has seen Covid-19 infections increase very slightly to an estimated 40,500 people, or one in 75, up from 39,600, also one in 75. "Across all four UK countries, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 compatible with