Covid: Rising cases may be due to reinfections caused by Omicron sub-variants, says Prof Devi Sridhar

Covid infections are rising once again across the UK. Total infections are now back at the levels seen last May, though still well down on the peak of pandemic.

New types of Omicron variant seem to be driving the resurgence of the virus.

Across the UK, 1.4 million private households are estimated to have had the virus last week – that’s an increase of more than 40 per cent on the previous week.

The disease is most prevalent in Scotland, where one in 30 have Covid. In Northern Ireland and Wales, the rate is one in 45. England has a rate of one in 50. England reported just over 5,000 people in hospital with Covid yesterday, up by nearly a quarter on the previous week.

We spoke to Professor Devi Sridhar about the rise in infections.