A new Covid-19 variant is being monitored "very closely" by the government as infection rates and hospitalisations rise across England.
It comes as 7,822 patients had coronavirus in England on June 27, up 37 per cent on the previous week, new NHS figures show.
It is the highest total for nearly two months but is still some way below the peak of 16,600 patients during the Omicron BA.2 wave of infections earlier in the year.
New Omicron variants are being watched carefully, but Boris Johnson's official spokesperson confirmed to the Evening Standard that the government is not considering imposing further restrictions on people.
The latest wave is being driven by the newer variants BA.4 and BA.5, which now make up more than half of all new Covid-19 cases in England.
Research published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) suggests BA.5 is growing approximately 35 per cent faster than BA.2 while BA.4 is growing 1 per cent faster.
This means it is likely that BA.5 will soon become the dominant Covid-19 variant in the country.
The No 10 spokesman added that their emergence was “likely the driving cause for the rise in cases", but that the Covid vaccinations are meaning the uptick in cases is not translating to ICU admissions or death.
He told the Evening Standard: “The latest data suggests that these are now the dominant strains in the UK. But, so far, vaccination means those rising cases haven’t translated into a rise of severe illness or death with no increase in ICU admissions.”
There is "currently no evidence" the two variants cause more serious illness than previous variants, however, according to the UKHSA.
Professor Susan Hopkins, UKHSA chief medical adviser, said: "It is clear that the increasing prevalence of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 are significantly increasing the case numbers we have observed in recent weeks.
"We have seen a rise in hospital admissions in line with community infections but vaccinations are continuing to keep ICU admissions and deaths at low levels.
"Our data also show that 17.5 per cent of people aged 75 years and over have not had a vaccine within the past six months, putting them more at risk of severe disease. We urge these people in particular to get up to date."
It's worth noting that most hospital patients who test positive for Covid-19 are being treated primarily for something else, rather than the virus, but they will still need to be kept isolated from those who do not have Covid so as not to place extra pressure on hospital staff.
It's thought the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, school holidays and the warm weather are thought to be have contributed to the latest spike in cases.
