Chilly climate has sparked fears a brand new Covid variant may consequence within the UK’s largest-ever wave of infections.
Consultants raised issues after one in 16 folks had been contaminated in London in mid-December, which was the toughest hit space of the UK.
UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) information revealed that Covid charges doubled in lower than a fortnight when the brand new Juno pressure arrived in Britain.
Warnings of a heavy wave of infections come following elevated social mixing across the Christmas interval and a return to varsities amid a backdrop of freezing chilly climate in components of the capital.
Nevertheless consultants are not sure precisely how prevalent Covid is because of pure delays in surveillance exercise.
The UKHSA estimated that 4.three % of individuals had been contaminated throughout England on December 13, as compared prevalence peaked at 7.6pc within the week to April 2, 2022, when Omicron was rife within the nation.
Regardless of vaccines making certain Covid is not the risk it was when it first arrived in 2020, hundreds are nonetheless being hospitalised with the virus every day.
The potential surge in instances comes because the NHS is overloaded with spikes in flu and different seasonal bugs, with norovirus and RSV hospitalisations hitting their highest ranges for the reason that pandemic started within the ultimate week of 2023.
Professor Christina Pagel an Impartial SAGE and information scientist at College Faculty London, advised the i that an infection ranges in January may rival earlier peaks of an infection and will exceed them.
She mentioned: “England’s largest ever wave in March and April 2022 – peaked 4 weeks after it reached 50 per cent of instances.
“So sadly it’s seemingly that this JN.1 wave has not but peaked and can peak mid-January, both subsequent week or the week after.
“After which infections will keep very excessive for a couple of weeks on the downward slope too.
“I’m certain this wave will rival the primary two Omicron waves in 2022 and would possibly even exceed them.”