Coronavirus case rates among schoolchildren in England have reached a new record high, according to the latest government data.

Rates of COVID-19 are also increasing in all but one region in England.

A total of 1,366.8 cases per 100,000 people aged 10 to 19 were logged in the seven days to 17 October – up week-on-week from 1,134.9.

The rate for five to nine-year-olds is 719.2, a rise week-on-week from 585.0.

This is the highest weekly rate for both age groups since this data was first collected in October 2020, according to the UK Health Security Agency (HSA).

Case rates of the virus are continuing to surge in all age groups across England.

The lowest rate of COVID-19 is currently among people aged 80 and over, at 121.2, up from 115.6.

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It comes after Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Wednesday that COVID cases could hit 100,000 a day.

But he confirmed England will not yet move to the government’s plan B for dealing with pressures on hospitals this winter.

The English region with the highest rate of coronavirus is currently the South West – with 667.6 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to 17 October, up from 327.1.

Meanwhile, the East Midlands has the second-highest rate at 494.0, down from 496.7 – the only region to record a week-on-week drop.

London has the lowest rate of COVID at 253.0, up from 220.5.

The rate of hospital admissions from COVID-19 in England stood at 7.2 per 100,000 people in the week to 17 October, up from 6.3.

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The West Midlands reported the highest number of hospital admissions for that week, at 10.1 per 100,000 people.

Hospital admission rates continue to be the highest for people aged 85 and over, at 42.2 per 100,000 – the highest for this age group since the week to 7 March.

Speaking at a Downing Street news conference on Wednesday, Mr Javid cautioned that the coronavirus pandemic “is not over”.

Daily figures released on Thursday have also shown that the UK has recorded another 52,009 new COVID cases and 115 virus-related deaths, marking the first time infections have been above 50,000 since 17 July.

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