UK Covid infection rate rising, with more than a million cases in England

While the figures remain below the peak levels of infection seen earlier this year, the findings represent a rise on the previous week. Photograph: Jon Super/AP

Coronavirus infections are rising in the UK, new figures have revealed, with experts noting the increase is probably down to the rise of BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants.

The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), based on swabs collected from randomly selected households, reveal that in the week ending 11 June an estimated one in 50 people in the community in England are thought to have had Covid – around 1.13 million people.