Covid near me: Infections are on the rise in Lancashire as cases stop falling across the UK

The rise is likely to have been caused by a jump in infections compatible with the original Omicron variant BA.1, along with the newer variants BA.4 and BA.5.

It comes as separate figures suggest the recent drop in the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 may also have come to a halt.

A total of 989,800 people in private households in the UK are estimated to have had the virus in the week ending June 2, up from 953,900 the previous week, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Among the regions of England, infection levels are estimated to have risen in the North West, London and the South East, with early signs of an increase in eastern England.

Levels have fallen in the South West and the West Midlands while the trend in all other regions was uncertain.

In Lancashire, 755 cases were recorded in the seven days to June 5, an increase of 9.9%.

It is the first time total infections have risen week-on-week since the end of March, when the number hit a record 4.9 million at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave.

All four nations have seen a slight rise in the prevalence of the virus, though the ONS describes the trend in Scotland and Wales as “uncertain”.

In England, 797,500 people were likely to test positive for Covid-19 last week – the equivalent of about one in 70.

This is up week on week from 784,100, which was also about one in 70.

“Across all four UK countries, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 compatible with Omicron variants BA.1, BA.4 and BA.5 increased in the week ending June 2 2022,” the ONS said.

The latest estimates for Covid-19 infections come as separate figures show the recent fall in the number of people in hospital with the virus may have come to a stop.

Some 4,082 patients in England had Covid-19 on June 9, up 6% on the previous week.

Patient numbers across the UK remain well below the peaks reached during previous waves of the virus.