Coronavirus outbreak still shrinking with 33,000 currently infected – but decline is slowing
THE coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking with 33,000 people currently infected in England - but the decline is slowing, new figures show.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows the average number of new Covid-19 cases per day since the end of April has fallen from 4,500 last week to 3,800.
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The weekly snapshot of the average number of infections suggests about one in 1,700 people were infected between May 31 and June 13.
The ONS said: "Modelling of the trend over time also shows evidence that the number of people in England testing positive has decreased since the study began on April 26, and suggests that the decline may have slowed in recent weeks."
Data on how many people are infected with Covid-19 at any one time based on swab results from households across the country were also published.
These figures look at community infections and do not include care homes or hospitals - which would likely make the average much higher.
The ONS said: "Our latest estimates indicate that at any given time during the two weeks from May 31 to June 13, an average of 33,000 people in England had the coronavirus.
"This equates to 0.06 per cent of the population in England or around one in 1,700 individuals.
"This estimate is based on swab tests collected from 24,413 participants, of which 10 individuals tested positive for Covid-19."
'Downward trend'
Separate modelling carried out by the universities of Oxford and Manchester shows "a clear downward trend" in the estimated percentage of people in England testing positive for the virus since the infection study began on April 26.
The ONS said the decline suggested by this model "appears to have slowed in recent weeks".
It shows the proportion of the population testing positive dropping from an estimated 0.33 per cent on April 26 to 0.10 per cent by May 26.
This then levelled off around 0.07 per cent in the days up to June 13.
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Results for the most recent period are provisional, the ONS added, because not all swab test results have been received, and this may result in further revisions to the figures.
Figures also revealed that of those individuals providing blood samples, 5.4 per cent tested positive for antibodies to Covid-19 which is around 1 in 19 people.
The ONS said: "This is lower than the percentage presented in our previous publication, but compatible with the previous estimates of uncertainty."
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