Covid-19: UK case numbers spiked before Christmas as Professor Robert Thomas warns of pressure on NHS

A top professor has warned that rising Covid-19 infections are creating more problems in the NHS than may first meet the eye.

Today (January 11) the Office for National Statistics has released new data about Covid-19 infections in England and Scotland, showing a sharp rise in the number of cases in the build-up to Christmas last month. The figures show a 57 per cent increase in reported Covid cases in just one week, with 35-44 year olds in London being the worst affected.

Professor Robert Thomas, a full-time NHS Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke's and Bedford Hospitals, has warned that although many Covid cases are now unreported, the trend towards an increase in cases is putting more pressure onto the NHS.

He said: "Certainly, this increase is beginning to affect hospital services - already under strain from winter flu, train and doctor strikes. In oncology, patients testing positive, usually with flu like symptoms, are missing appointments, not attending radiology investigation so the time to diagnostic is lengthening, potentially leading to more advanced disease.

"Then, treatment is being delayed because operations are being cancelled, new chemotherapy and radiotherapy slots are being cancelled. This disrupts services for everyone and not only delays the start but once started this introduces gaps in treatments which will make it less effective.

"I am seeing this every day now.

"Also the more people who get acute covid, the more who will progress to long covid which - if staff, will add to shortages."

Professor Thomas has written some advice for National World about lowering your risk of long Covid and how to spot its symptoms.

The latest ONS data recorded a sample size of 27,346, with 2.2 per cent testing positive for Covid-19 in the seven days of December 7-13. This was up from 1.4 per cent the previous week.

London was the most adversely affected region, followed by the south east of England. The largest percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 were between the ages of 35 and 44, with more women reporting a positive test than men.

The most common reported symptom of Covid-19 was a runny nose or repeated sneezing - which could suggest transmission of the new JN.1 variant.