Positive Covid results have seen a sharp rise among some school aged children since the new term started, according to data released today.
The Office for National Statistics' latest Coronavirus Infection Survey - for the week ending September 14 - show cases in England have increased for kids in Year 7 to 11 in a matter of days.
The modelled daily percentage of those in that age testing positive for the virus in the nine days from September 5 went from 0.67 per cent to 2.22 per cent.
It is currently at its highest rate for that age range since August 1 when it was 2.24 per cent.
Although is still some way off the 5.93 per cent recorded on July 12 before schools broke up for summer.
The latest data also shows an increase in England for those aged 25 to 34.
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According to the ONS, for all other age groups, the trend "was uncertain" in the most recent week.
Meanwhile, the figures show the percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus has increased on the previous seven days in England and Wales, but decreased in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
In England, the estimated number of people testing positive for Covid-19 was 766,500, equating to 1.41 per cent of the population, or around 1 in 70 people.
In Wales, the estimated number of people testing positive was 39,700, equating to 1.31 per cent of the population, or around 1 in 75 people.
In Northern Ireland, the estimated number of people testing positive was 22,900, equating to 1.25 per cent of the population, or around 1 in 80 people.
In Scotland, the estimated number of people testing positive was 98,800, equating to 1.88 per cent of the population, or around 1 in 55 people.
The wave of Covid-19 infections over the summer was caused by highly infectious subvariants (BA.4 and BA.5) of the Omicron variant that entered the UK in late 2021.
These subvariants are more infectious than the previous variants of the coronavirus that the UK has faced.
They are also more likely to cause reinfections.
According to the ONS, the World Health Organization's (WHO) variants of concern are currently are Omicron sub-lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4 and BA.5.
Azeem Majeed, professor of public health at Imperial College, London, said: "Although they are more infectious than other variants, the new subvariants of Omicron do not cause more severe disease and on average, they probably cause a milder illness."
