Covid’s relentless march as 1 in 16 now infected

The number of people with Covid-19 in Scotland has risen for the sixth week in a row and is now approaching the rate of March’s Omicron wave.

Around one in 16 Scots had coronavirus last week, according to the infection survey produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This equates to around 334,000 people, with the rate higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK.

The latest Public health Scotland figures show there were 1,669 Covid patients in hospital last week, a 15 per cent increase from the previous week.

Sarah Crofts, head of analytical outputs for the ONS Covid-19 Infection Survey, said: ‘Infections are showing no signs of decreasing, with rates approaching levels last seen in March this year at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave.

‘Rates have continued to increase across the UK and among all age groups. We will continue to closely monitor the data.’

In March, Scottish Covid cases peaked at one in 11.

Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, and Professor of Structural Biology at the University of Oxford, said: ‘Scotland has most likely reached a peak in prevalence at around one in 16 people infected. england is on its way to this with one in 19 and rising. Prevalence is increasing in all age groups. This will keep the NHS under pressure, especially as it reaches the elderly.

‘Neither vaccination nor previous infection with a non-Omicron strain give strong protection against Omicron infection; this is why infection numbers are high.’

Meanwhile, a further booster jab will be offered from September to those at highest risk.

Following final advice on the autumn/winter booster programme from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), care home residents, care home and NhS staff and the over 50s will be offered the additional dose.

Carers and people in clinical risk groups will also be offered the booster. health Secretary humza Yousaf said: ‘Vaccination has been our most effective tool against coronavirus. however, the degree of protection offered wanes over time.

‘We know that those in highpriority groups are at higher risk of serious illness from Covid-19, and I therefore welcome this latest advice from the JCVI and can confirm that boosters will be offered to all those in eligible groups.

‘I continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.’

While england reported an infection rate of one in 19 last week, Wales saw around one in 17 of its population affected.

Around one in 17 people in Northern Ireland had Covid.