Covid-19 case rates are increasing in a third of UK local authority areas, with early signs that rates are once again on the rise among schoolchildren, latest figures show.
All four UK nations have also seen their rate of new cases increase in recent days.
Here is a snapshot of the situation across the country, based on the latest Government data.
A total of 244,134 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the UK in the seven days to November 10.
This is the equivalent of 363.9 cases per 100,000 people – higher than the previous few days, though slightly below the level recorded one week earlier, which was 392.2.
Data for new cases in the most recent days (November 11-14) has been excluded as it is incomplete.
One third of local authority areas in the UK (125 out of 377) are currently recording a rise in rates, according to analysis by the PA news agency.
The biggest week-on-week jumps are in Torridge in Devon (up from 376.9 to 638.8), Causeway Coast & Glens in Northern Ireland (442.9 to 628.5) and Moray in Scotland (318.7 to 501.5).
ENGLAND
The rate of new cases in England currently stands at 351.9 per 100,000 people.
This represents a rise on the most recent few days, but it still is below the level recorded a week earlier, which was 387.9.
Data for the next few days will show whether this is the start of a sustained increase in rates or a brief spike.
Of the 312 local authority areas in England, 85 are currently recording a week-on-week rise in rates.
The biggest jumps are in Torridge in Devon (up from 376.9 to 638.8), Charnwood in Leicestershire (350.8 to 530.7) and North Devon (495.1 to 645.8 – the highest rate in England).
The latest available data for case rates by age group in England shows numbers are rising once again among schoolchildren.
This is likely to reflect the return of pupils to school following the half-term holiday in late October.
Rates have increased in recent days among children aged five to nine and 10 to 14, though the trend is unclear for 15 to 19-year-olds.
SCOTLAND
Scotland’s rate of new Covid-19 cases currently stands at at 375.7 per 100,000 people, up week-on-week from 334.7.
It is the highest seven-day rate of new cases since September 26.
Most local areas in Scotland are recording an increase in rates, with only six out of 32 areas currently seeing a fall.
Areas experiencing a sharp jump in rates include Moray (up from 318.7 to 501.5), Perth & Kinross (306.8 to 479.2) and Dumfries & Galloway (394.5 to 529.4).
Scotland also has the highest local rate anywhere in the UK, in the Orkney Islands, where the figure stands at 696.4 per 100,000 – though this is based on 156 new cases in the most recent seven days.
WALES
The rate of new cases in Wales has risen in the last couple of days, but it is too soon to say whether this is the start of another long-term upwards trend.
The latest national figure is 486.5 cases per 100,000 people.
This is below the level recorded a week ago – 551.1 – but is the highest rate for any of the four UK nations.
Rates are still falling in most local areas in Wales, with only five of 22 areas seeing a rise in the latest data.
The biggest jumps are in Gwynedd (up from 475.3 to 551.2) and Carmarthenshire (480.3 to 529.3).
Vale of Glamorgan currently has the highest rate of any local area in Wales, at 626.0, down week-on-week from 759.8.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland’s rate of new cases currently stands at 482.7.
This is up week-on-week from 421.2 and is the highest since September 14.
Rates are up in nine of the 11 local authority areas, with the sharpest increases in Causeway Coast & Glens (up from 442.9 to 628.5), Mid Ulster (394.1 to 515.6) and Fermanagh & Omagh (484.9 to 591.5).
Causeway Coast & Glens also has the highest rate in Northern Ireland.
