The number of people with COVID in the UK rose to around 1 in 21 last week, or 3.28 million people, the latest ONS figures show.

In England, around one in 20 in private households are thought to have the virus in the week to 12 March – or 2.7 million people.

That was up from 1 in 25, or 2.1 million people, recorded for the previous week to 5 March.

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In Wales, the estimate is up from 97,900 people – one in 30 – to 125,400 people, or one in 25.

Scotland has seen infection levels rise for seven weeks in a row with a record high 376,300 people estimated to have COVID-19 last week – one in 14.

That is up from 299,900 people, or one in 18, on the previous week.

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The ONS has said the situation in Northern Ireland is “uncertain”, with 136,600 people likely to have had COVID las week, or around one in 14 people.

That is down slightly from 143,800 people, or one in 13, on the previous week.

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The ONS said hospital admissions for children under the age of 15 were more than double the peak recorded in the week ending 17 January last year.

The figures show the sharpest rise in cases in England was in the South East.

Sky News science correspondent Thomas Moore said: “We are seeing another surge in infections… and those steep declines that we saw after the New Year have started to reverse.

“Is this going to take us back to the dark days of winter? Probably not because the virus is still susceptible to the vaccine… and when the weather warms up and the virus runs out of room, it’s likely that you’ll see once again the cases slow down.”

The ONS figures come as all remaining COVID travel measures have now ended in the UK.

Despite the lifting of most COVID restrictions last month most adults are still taking precautions against the infection, an ONS survey shows.

Figures from the survey suggest around 81% of people say they are still frequently washing or sanitising their hands.

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