UK Covid rates rocket to highest ever as 4.9 million people estimated to have virus on day free testing ends

Covid-19 infections in the UK have hit a record high as case rates rocket in England and Wales. It is estimated that around 4.9 million people in private UK households have contracted the virus in the week ending March 26, an increase from 4.3 million in the previous week, according to the ONS.

In England, around on in 13 people were likely to test positive for Covid-19 last week (4.1 million people) which is up from one in 16 (3.5 million people) in the week to March 19. Meanwhile, Scotland has seen its first week-on-week infection rate drop, although the ONS described the trend as "uncertain".

In Wales, the estimate is up from 192,000 people (one in 16) last week to 212,000 people (one in 14) this week. It means both England and Wales are now recording their highest Covid-19 infection levels.

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In Scotland, some 451,200 people were estimated to have had the virus last week (one in 12) - this is down from 473,800 people (one in 11) in the previous week.

In Northern Ireland, the trend has also been described as "uncertain" by the ONS, with 123,000 people (one in 15) likely to have had Covid-19 last week - this is up from 108,700 (one in 17). Despite this, Scotland and Northern Ireland are tethering slightly below their recent record infection levels.

Kara Steel, a senior statistician for the ONS 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 rapid rise continues to be fuelled by the growth of the Omicron BA.2 variant across the UK.”

On Thursday, Dame Jenny Harries,