Covid-19 in the UK: 14 areas in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales with highest infection rates

The proportion of people testing positive for Covid-19 has increased again in England, new figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

In the week ending 31 January, the estimated number of people testing positive for the virus was 874,700, equating to 1.56% of the population, or around one in 65 people. That was up from 1.42% in the previous week.

The rest of the UK did not follow a similar trend. Northern Ireland experienced a decrease in infection rates with the estimated proportion of people testing positive for the virus dropping from 1.52% to 1.39%. The ONS estimates that 25,500 had the virus, or around one in 70 people.

The ONS said the trend for Scotland and Wales was uncertain. It reported that around one in 65 people in Scotland have the virus (an estimated 82,300 people, equating to 1.56% of the population). In Wales the estimated number of people testing positive for Covid was 36,600, equating to 1.19% of the population, or around 1 in 85 people.

The figures come as part of the ONS’ weekly Coronavirus Infection Survey which tests members of private households for Covid. On a monthly basis the ONS also publishes infection rates at a sub-regional level. These areas often group several local authorities together into a bigger cluster, showing how infection rates vary at a local level across the country. Here we reveal the 14 subregions in the UK with the highest Covid infection rates.

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