Coronavirus: Daily cases in England rise to 27,900
Daily coronavirus cases in England have rocketed to 27,900, according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), marking a 10,000 increase since last week’s average.
The estimated number of coronavirus cases for the week to 2 October was 17,200, while the average for the week before was 12,600.
The ONS said this week’s figure “shows the number of infections has continued to increase rapidly in recent weeks”.
There has also been a huge spike in the number of people currently infected in England, rising from an estimated 224,400 to 336,500 in a week.
The figure marks a jump from 1 case in every 240 people to 1 in 160.
The ONS added that current infection rates were highest in older teenagers and young adults, as the government continues to pin the blame on universities and social interactions in hospitality venues.
“Smaller increases are also apparent across all of the other age groups, apart from individuals aged 70 years and over,” added the ONS.
It comes as the Prime Minister this week introduced a new three-tier system in an attempt to curb the sharp spike in infections, which will see large swathes of the country under strict lockdown measures.
London will move from Tier 1 to Tier 2 at midnight tonight, meaning a ban on indoor social mixing between households in the capital.
It comes after the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in London hit 67,346 yesterday, with Barnet and Ealing continuing to be the capital’s worst-affected boroughs.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned that the capital faces a “dark winter” ahead as ministers scramble to contain a rapid increase of infections across the capital.
Lancashire will join the Liverpool City Region in moving to Tier 3 tonight, with the Northern regions being placed under “very high” alert.
Under Tier 3 restrictions pubs, bars and restaurants will be forced to shutter, with the ban on mixing between households extended to outdoors.