The UK has recorded a further 38,009 coronavirus cases and 74 related deaths in the latest 24-hour period, the latest government figures show.

It compares with yesterday’s figures when 41,278 positive COVID-19 infections and 166 deaths were reported, while 39,962 cases and 72 fatalities were logged this time last week.

The latest figures also show a total of 49,955,853 people have had one dose of a coronavirus vaccine – with another 33,763 doses being administered.

And 45,697,856 people have had two vaccine doses after another 24,908 jabs were given in the latest data.

The figures show 7,925,851 people have had a third booster jab after 361,428 doses were administered.

Meanwhile, the weekly R – or reproductive – number in England is estimated to have risen to between 1.1 and 1.3 – with the number of COVID infections in the country now at its highest level since January.

The pandemic appears to be growing in England, as the R figure was estimated to be between 1.0 and 1.2 last week.

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The R number indicates the average number of people each COVID-positive person goes on to infect.

Earlier this week, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the percentage of people testing positive remains highest for those in school years 7 to 11, at 9.1%.

Infections in England have also increased to their highest level since the beginning of the year, with around one in 50 people having the virus in the week ending 22 October – the highest level since 2 January, the body reported.

In a bid to clamp down on cases among younger age groups, health teams will be visiting hundreds of schools across England this week to begin offering children aged 12 to 15 a coronavirus jab.

NHS England said many more pupils returning to classrooms after the October half-term break will be able to get a jab.

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Alternatively, children in this age group can now an appointment to visit a vaccination centre using the national booking system.

It comes as more than seven million of the UK’s most vulnerable people received a booster COVID vaccine, or third dose, by Friday this week, according to government data.

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