COVID CASES SOAR BY 26%

 » Two variants spreading fast » Prof warns testing too slack  

- MARTIN BAGOT

46% Rise in hospital beds taken up with Covid the main diagnosis 

64% Increase in numbers of positive tests in the South East 

58% How much cases have risen in the Midlands in a week 

COVID cases have rocketed by more than a quarter in England in a week, double the rate predicted. 

Amid fears of a devastating winter surge, infections were up 26% in the latest week for which data is available.

And hospital beds occupied where coronavirus is the primary diagnosis were up 46%, a report by the Covid-19 Actuaries Response Group shows.

Numbers of people testing positive in hospitals are highest in the South East – up 64%– and the Midlands – a rise of 58% – over the same period.

Genetic analysis shows two Omicron subvariants – BA.2.75.2 and BQ1.1 – are showing signs of being able to escape the immune system.