Scotland saw the largest increase in Covid cases in the UK last week, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
It estimates about 250,700 people - one in 20 - had the virus in the week ending 17 June. That is an increase on the previous week when about 176,900, or one in 30 people, had Covid.
By comparison, about one in 40 people in England had the virus last week, one in 45 in Wales and one in 30 in Northern Ireland.
The latest ONS Coronavirus (Covid-19) Infection Survey said the increase in the number of people testing positive was likely being driven by the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants. They are not thought to be more lethal than any other form of Covid but they do appear to be spreading more quickly.
It follows data published by Public Health Scotland earlier this week which reported a 30% jump in infections in the week ending 19 June.
Public health expert Prof Linda Bauld said the latest ONS data suggests Scotland was experiencing another spike of infection.
It’s summer, the rules have been eased and people have dropped their guard. The increase in cases was inevitable. I expect the rest of the UK to experience a similar increase in level of infection over the holiday period …
Before the rise of infection again, I had planned to stop wearing my mask in shops untill Winter comes around again, but I’m still doing it. A lot of people aren’t though, and the North Highlands is heaving with non mask wearing tourists just now, most with English Accents, so expect some of them to return home with it.
I’m still wearing a mask in enclosed locations, even in hospitals, which have dropped mask requirements. I had expected a surge in the summer holidays …
