Britain’s Covid-19 levels have risen to their highest in three months, after lockdown restrictions were relaxed to open large parts of the economy.
A total of 212,880 people gave positive test results at least once in the week to October 6, up 2 per cent on the previous week, the latest Test and Trace figures show.
It is the highest number since the week ending July 21, when the figure hit 309,476.
The Government said another 157 people died from Covid-19 as of Thursday, up from 122 the previous week and bringing the UK total to 138,237.
England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, said winter was going to be “exceptionally difficult” for the National Health Service, with Covid infections, flu and a backlog of delayed operations contributing to the pressure.
“In terms of where Covid will go over the winter, well I think the winter as a whole, I regret to say, is going to be exceptionally difficult for the NHS,” Prof Whitty said.
“That is, irrespective of whether we have a relatively low but non-trivial amount of Covid, or whether we actually have a further surge in the winter.”
Mid-July was the last time there was a major surge in Covid-19 cases in England.
The latest numbers are still well below the level reached during the second wave of the virus when Test and Trace figures peaked at 390,282 cases in the week to January 6.
Almost 10 per cent of people who were transferred to Test and Trace in England in the week to October 6 were not reached, meaning they were not able to provide details of recent close contacts.
Anyone in England who tests positive for Covid-19 is transferred to Test and Trace so their contacts can be identified and alerted.
Of 200,074 people transferred to Test and Trace in the most recent week, 19,311 were not reached.
The East Midlands has the highest rate, with 488.7 cases for every 100,000 people in the seven days to October 10, up from 450.
Yorkshire and the Humber has the second highest rate at 453.4, up from 409.0. London has the lowest at 214.2, up from 204.6.
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Pharaoh's curse
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Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
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Dubai Rugby Sevens
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Runners up: UAE Premiership
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
