Latest COVID-19 headlines
- Almost 1 in 10 young adults self-isolated this week
- Highest UK flight numbers since before first national lockdown
- Viral load lower for COVID-19 reinfection
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Almost 1 in 10 young adults self-isolated this week
30 July 2021
Almost 1 in 10 (9%) 16- to 29-year-olds said they had self-isolated in the past seven days. Young adults were three times more likely to be self-isolating than those aged 70 years and over (3%). Overall, 6% of adults said they were self-isolating, similar to the 7% last week.
In the past seven days, 6% of adults said they had self-isolated
Adults in Great Britain, May to July 2021
Source: Office for National Statistics – Opinions and Lifestyle Survey
Download this chart In the past seven days, 6% of adults said they had self-isolated
Image .csv .xlsOver 9 in 10 (95%) adults said they had worn a face covering outside their home in the last seven days, the same figure as the week before. This is despite the further easing of legal restrictions in England on 19 July 2021.
Those saying they always or often maintained social distance fell slightly from 63% last week to 61%.
Most adults felt that measures such as wearing a face covering while shopping (90%) and social distancing (88%) were either very important or important. These figures are unchanged from last week.
Most people stick to self-isolation rules after positive test
29 July 2021
The majority of people in England who are required to self-isolate after testing positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) report fully adhering to the rules.
Between 5 and 10 July 2021 and 7 to 12 June 2021, 79% of all those required not to leave their home or receive visitors reported adhering to these requirements throughout their self-isolation period.
This is statistically significantly lower compared with data collected between 10 and 15 May 2021, which showed 86% reported fully adhering to the requirements.
In September 2020, a new legal duty was introduced in England, requiring people to self-isolate for 10 days if they tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
In July 2021 fewer people aged 18 to 34 years adhered to the rules on self-isolation (75%), compared with those aged between 35 and 54 years (86%).
The data presented in this bulletin were collected from individuals who had tested positive for COVID-19 and had recently reached or were nearing the end of their self-isolation period.
These data were collected between 5 and 10 July 2021, during a period in which national lockdown restrictions had eased to step three of the four-step roadmap out of lockdown in England.
Highest UK flight numbers since before first national lockdown
29 July 2021
The number of UK daily flights has reached the highest level seen since the week to 22 March 2020 (the day before the first national lockdown was implemented across the UK).
Data from EUROCONTROL on international and domestic UK flights show the seven-day average of daily flights rose by 17% in the week to 25 July 2021 from the previous week, to 2,877 daily flights.
The seven-day average number of UK daily flights rose to its highest level since before the first UK-wide lockdown (week to 22 March 2020)
Number of daily flights, non-seasonally adjusted, and seven-day moving average, 2 January 2019 to 25 July 2021, UK
Source: European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL)
Download this chart The seven-day average number of UK daily flights rose to its highest level since before the first UK-wide lockdown (week to 22 March 2020)
Image .csv .xlsThe average number of daily flights in the latest week is 147% of the level seen in the equivalent week in 2020 (when UK travel corridors were in place). However, it is still less than half (43%) of the level seen in the equivalent week in 2019.
The data includes commercial flights carrying passengers and cargo as well as non-commercial flights such as private and military flights. Especially in the context of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, flights might not be operating at full capacity and therefore trends in passengers and cargo will differ from trends in flights presented here.
Viral load lower for COVID-19 reinfection
28 July 2021
Second coronavirus (COVID-19) infections have a significantly lower viral load than first infections, suggesting reinfection is less likely to cause illness.
Viral load is determined by how quickly a test can detect the virus, measured by the cycle threshold (Ct). Positive COVID-19 tests with a low Ct value (30 or less) indicate a higher viral load, while a high Ct value suggests a lower viral load.
Consistent with previous results, analysis of Ct values at first and second infection found that viral load is significantly higher for the first infection than the second, indicating that an individual may have an effective immune response to reinfection.
From the 19,470 participants who had previously recovered from a COVID-19 infection, 195 reinfections were identified. However, of the 195 reinfections, only 48 had a high viral load with Ct less than 30. These results suggest that the number of reinfections is low overall, and reinfections with a high viral load are even lower.
Of those who test positive for COVID-19 with a high viral load, 61% reported symptoms in July 2021. Symptoms reported were more likely to be “classic” symptoms than gastrointestinal or loss of taste or smell only. The prevalence of any symptoms and “classic symptoms” were higher in June and July, and January and February, compared with March and April. The most commonly reported symptoms have consistently been cough, fatigue and headache.
The majority of people testing positive for COVID-19 reported symptoms in July 2021
Percentage of people with symptoms, including only those who have strong positive tests (Ct less than 30) by month, UK, 1 December 2020 to 12 July 2021
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Data for percentage of people with symptoms in the UK (XLSX, 20 KB)
Deaths from COVID-19 increase in the UK
27 July 2021
The number of deaths from all causes in the UK in the week ending 16 July 2021 was 11,053, which is 4.9% above the average for the corresponding week in 2015 to 2019.
Deaths were above the five-year average in England and Scotland, and below the five-year average in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Of these, 268 deaths were registered involving coronavirus (COVID-19), accounting for around 1 in 41 deaths (2.4%). This is a 23.5% increase on the previous week.
The number of deaths from COVID-19 increased in England, Scotland, and increased slightly in Wales compared with the previous week. In Northern Ireland, they remained level.
Deaths include people who are not in their usual country of residence.
Deaths involving COVID-19 increased in the UK in the week to 16 July
Number of deaths registered by week, UK, week ending 8 January 2021 to week ending 16 July 2021
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Data for deaths involving COVID-19 in the week to 16 July (XLSX, 20KB)
Using the most up-to-date data, the total number of deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales is over 140,000 (141,156 registrations up to 16 July 2021). Between 13 March 2020 and 9 July 2021, there have been 104,115 excess deaths above the five-year average.
Our data are based on deaths registered in England and Wales and include all deaths where “novel coronavirus (COVID-19)” was mentioned on the death certificate. Weekly figures are available by local authority and health board.
Infections have increased in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
23 July 2021
Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continued to increase in England and have increased in Wales and Northern Ireland in the week ending 17 July 2021, while in Scotland the trend is uncertain in the most recent week.
The estimated percentage of the community population (those not in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings) that had COVID-19 was:
- 1.36% (1 in 75 people) in England, up from 1.06% (1 in 95 people) last week
- 0.47% (1 in 210 people) in Wales, up from 0.28% (1 in 360 people) last week
- 0.59% (1 in 170 people) in Northern Ireland, up from 0.34% (1 in 290 people) last week
- 1.24% (1 in 80 people) in Scotland, compared with 1.14% (1 in 90 people) last week
Across England, the percentage of people testing positive continued to increase in all age groups in the week ending 17 July 2021, except for those in school Year 7 to school Year 11 where the trend is uncertain.
Infections have also continued to increase in all English regions in the most recent week, except for the North East and North West, where the trends are uncertain.
The percentage of people testing positive continued to increase in most English regions
Estimated percentage of the population testing positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on nose and throat swabs, daily, by region from 6 June to 17 July 2021, England
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Data for percentage testing positive by region in England (XLSX, 67 KB)
England's COVID-19 mortality rate in June was similar to May
23 July 2021
Mortality rates due to coronavirus (COVID-19) in England were similar in June 2021 to the previous month. Before June, mortality rates due to COVID-19 had significantly decreased for four consecutive months.
This mortality rate accounts for the size and age structure of the population and is called the “age-standardised mortality rate” (ASMR).
The ASMR of deaths due to COVID-19 (where COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death) was 7.5 deaths per 100,000 people in England, compared with 7.1 in May 2021. This increase was not statistically significant. In Wales, there were two deaths due to COVID-19, which was too small to calculate a reliable ASMR.
The ASMR excludes non-residents.
In England, mortality rates due to COVID-19 in June 2021 were similar to May 2021
Age-standardised mortality rates for deaths due to COVID-19, per 100,000 people, England and Wales, deaths registered in March 2020 to June 2021
Source: Office for National Statistics - Monthly mortality analysis
Download this chart In England, mortality rates due to COVID-19 in June 2021 were similar to May 2021
Image .csv .xlsProvisional data show a total of 38,611 deaths registered in England in June 2021. This was 1,275 fewer deaths than in June 2020 and 310 more than the June five-year average (2015 to 2019).
In Wales in June 2021, there were 2,560 deaths registered, 132 deaths fewer than in June 2020 and 26 more than the five-year average.
The leading cause of death in both England and Wales in June 2021 was ischaemic heart diseases (10.8% and 11.9% of all deaths respectively).
This compares COVID-19 as a leading cause in 0.9% of all deaths registered in June in England and 0.1% of all deaths in Wales.
Air travel to and from the UK remained low in January to March 2021
23 July 2021
In Quarter 1 2021, overseas residents made 96% less visits by air to the UK, while UK residents made 94% less visits abroad by air compared with Quarter 1 2020.
During January to March 2021 overseas residents made 195,000 visits by air to the UK as travel continues to be restricted by coronavirus (COVID-19) . Meanwhile, 774,000 visits abroad by air were made by UK residents in January to March 2021. Both figures are in comparison with the equivalent period of January to March 2020.
Travel to and from the UK remained at low levels in January to March 2021
Overseas residents’ visits to the UK by quarter: Quarter 1 (January to March) 2016 to Quarter 4 (October to December) 2020 (all modes) and Quarter 1 2021 (air only)
Source: Office for National Statistics - International Passenger Survey and Overseas travel and tourism
Download this chart Travel to and from the UK remained at low levels in January to March 2021
Image .csv .xlsOf all visits to the UK made in Quarter 1 2021, 127,000 were made to see family and friends and 20,000 business trips were made. Just 7,000 of the trips made in the first quarter were holidays.
In January to March 2021, estimated spending in the UK by overseas visitors decreased by 94% to £248 million when compared with Quarter 1 2020. In the same period, UK residents spent £817 million on visits abroad, 90% less than the equivalent period in 2020.
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