Total Covid-19 infections in the UK have jumped for the third week in a row, as most parts of the country continue to see a rise in the prevalence of the virus. Levels have increased among all adults over 25 in England, though the proportion of schoolchildren testing positive has fallen.
An estimated 1.4 million people in private households in the UK were likely to have Covid-19 in the week to February 14, up 17% from 1.2 million the previous week, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest total since early January, the PA news agency said.
A surge in the virus in the run-up to Christmas saw infections peak just below three million at the end of December. The figure then fell for much of January, before rising again in recent weeks.