The UK areas with the biggest increase in Covid cases last week as infections begin to rise again after Omicron peak

Covid cases in the UK have risen over the last week, despite the level of infections  previously falling rapidly after the Omicron period peaked.

Covid cases rose to a rate of 940 per 100,000 people in the UK in the week to 25 January, up by 1.6% from 925.6 infections per 100,000 people in the week to 18 January.

Scotland is the only nation to have seen a decrease in the number of Covid infections in that time, with England, Wales and Northern Ireland all seeing cases rise.

Covid infections in Scotland decreased from 533.2 per 100,000 in the week to 18 January to 469.9 in the week to 25 January, a weekly drop of 11.9%.

However, England saw a weekly change of 0.9%, as cases rose from 975.6 per 100,000 people to 984.3, and Wales saw a weekly change of 13.6%, with infections rising from 482 cases per 100,000 people to 547.6.

Northern Ireland saw the biggest rise out of the four countries, with a weekly change of 24.6%, as infections rose from 1,308.1 per 100,000 people to 1,630.1.

There are differences in the way each nation now records positive cases. England counts lateral flow results, while the other nations require a positive PCR.

Some council areas in the UK in particular saw a significant rise in Covid cases, with Ards and North Down seeing a weekly change of 50.8% and Lisburn and Castlereagh also experiencing a weekly change of 49%.

These are the 15 council areas in the UK which experienced the highest increase in Covid cases in the week to 25 January.