Covid cases nearly double in a month as kids return to school amid fears around new ‘rapidly-spreading’ Pirola variant

COVID cases have nearly doubled in a month, data shows as children return to schools today.

Figures from the ZOE health study show there 93,432 symptomatic cases on September 1, up from around 50,000 at the start of August.

King’s College London experts estimate it means there are around 1.16million people infected with Covid in Britain in total currently.

It comes amid fears around the new “Pirola” variant that has seen the country’s vaccine rollout brought forward.

The ZOE figures are based on data from millions of users on the company’s app, which tracks symptoms of the virus.

Its estimate of current infections is nearly double the around 606,000 thought to be carrying it on July 3 — the lowest number since the study began.

The resurgence began more than a month before the first case of Pirola was spotted in Britain on August 18.

The substrain of Omicron — also known as BA.2.86 — is highly mutated and experts are concerned it could evade immunity from past infection or vaccines.

It carries more than 35 mutations in key portions of the virus compared with XBB.1.5, the dominant variant through most of 2023.

All the mutations have been found in the virus’ spike protein — the part used to gain entry to human cells.

The NHS last week announced the Covid and flu jab rollout was being brought forward September 11, having previously been set for October.

However, it has not affected who will be offered a jab, with care home residents and those most at risk being given another dose first.

Carers, pregnant women, and health and social care staff will all be among the groups to be offered a Covid and flu jab this autumn, as well as adults aged 65 and over.

School children, who return to classrooms today, will not be eligible for a dose.

What are the main symptoms of Pirola?

There is currently no evidence to suggest Pirola causes any new symptoms that aren’t already common with other Omicron variants.

According to the ZOE study, these include: 

• Runny nose
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Sneezing
• Sore throat