The percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 across the UK has decreased as we enter 2023, according to new data published today (20 January) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The proportion of people testing positive went down in all four nations. In England, the estimated number of people testing positive for the virus in the first week of January was 1,461,900, or around 1 in 40 people - while in Scotland, the figure was 171,500, which equates to around 1 in 30 people. In both Wales and Northern Ireland, roughly 1 in 25 people were recorded to have Covid-19.
The figures are published as part of the ONS’ coronavirus Infection Survey, which carries out random PCR tests of households. Since community testing has been withdrawn, the survey offers the best picture of how the virus is spreading across the UK - but it’s worth noting that the data doesn't include people living in communual settings, such as nursing homes, where infections have been known to be high.
In the survey, infection rates are broken down by region - meaning you can check how many people near you have brought the virus. Here’s a breakdown of each region, ranked from the lowest to highest infection rate.
1. London
London had the lowest proportion of infections, with 1 in 50 people testing positive. This means 183,100 people, or 2.1% of the population, had Covid-19.
2. South East
The South East had the highest number of infections at 231,800 people, but relative to how many people live there, it was proportionately one of the lowest infected regions, with 1 in 40 people testing positive.
3. North West
In the North West, 2.52% of the population - or 1 in 40 people - had Covid-19.
4. Scotland
In Scotland, 2.61% of the population had Covid-19. This meant 146,100 people tested positive.