Coronavirus infection rates continue to grow across all regions of the UK, driven by Omicron subvarants BA.4 and BA.5, new figures show.
Parts of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland all feature in the 10 worst-hit areas, according to the data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
A total of 2.7 million people are estimated to have had the virus last week, the latest monitoring reveals. This is up 18% from the 2.3 million cases in the previous week, marking the highest estimate for total infections since late April.
However, infection levels are still below the record high of 4.9 million which was reached at the end of March. Separate NHS data shows hospitalisations also continue to climb.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Clinical Programmes at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “We continue to see COVID-19 case rates and hospitalisations rise in all age groups, with the largest increases in hospitalisations and ICU admissions in those aged 75 and older.
“There is likely to be a substantial amount of waning immunity in older people who have not taken up the booster on schedule, so we can expect these rises to continue over the coming weeks and throughout July.”
The virus contunues to be most prevalent in Scotland, the ONS figures show.
Here are the 10 local areas of the UK which had the highest Covid infection rates for the week ending June 29, or June 30 in Wales and Scotland.
The figures are based on regular, large-scale testing of a sample of private households across all parts of the UK.
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1. Dundee City, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling, Angus, Fife and Perth and Kinross
The UK’s highest Covid infection rates were in a swathe of central Scotland which encompasses Dundee, Fife and Falkirk. An estimated one in 16 people had Covid across the council areas of Dundee City, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling, Angus, Fife and Perth and Kinross.
2. East Lothian; Midlothian; City of Edinburgh; West Lothian
Edinburgh and the Lothians came second. One in 16 people were thought to be positive for Covid across the council areas of East Lothian, Midlothian, City of Edinburgh and West Lothian.
3. Na h-Eileanan Siar; Highland; Moray; Orkney Islands; Shetland Islands; Aberdeen City; Aberdeenshire; Argyll and Bute
Northern Scotland was third, with one in 17 people believed to have coronavirus in the council areas of Na h-Eileanan Siar, Highland, Moray, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Argyll and Bute
4. Dumfries and Galloway; East Ayrshire; North Ayrshire; Scottish Borders; South Ayrshire
An area stretching across southern Scotland was fourth. About one in 18 people had Covid in the areas of Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Scottish Borders and South Ayrshire.