The UK has reported another 534 coronavirus-related deaths, according to the government’s daily update – with further data suggesting the virus is ripping through children of primary school age.

The daily figure is the highest since 23 February last year – when it was 548.

The update reveals 88,085 new cases were also recorded in the latest 24-hour period, compared with 112,458 reported yesterday.

The figures do not include cases, tests and deaths in Scotland due to a “technical issue” with Public Health Scotland. These will be “added to a future update”.

102,292 cases were reported on this day last week.

It comes as figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest COVID infections have stopped falling in the UK, with levels in each of the four nations having plateaued or started to increase.

According to today’s ONS figures on its infection survey, the numbers have shown a rise mostly because of the virus ripping through children of primary school age.

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The highest rate was in children aged between two and 11. That is more than one in eight infected – an increase of 11% from last week.

Infections increased in older children and young adults, but there has been less of a rise.

For children in school years seven to 11, the figure was one in 13.

There has been a rise in adults aged 35 to 49 testing positive, suggesting that children might be passing the virus on.

In England and Wales, about one in 20 people – or 2.6 million – in private households were estimated to have the virus in the week to 29 January.

The figure was the same the week before in England, while in Wales it was previously one in 30.

Infection rates were lowest in the East Midlands, where the estimate was one in 25.

In Northern Ireland, about one in 15 people had the virus, compared with about one in 15 in the week to 22 January.

About one in 30 people were estimated to have had COVID in Scotland, which was unchanged from the previous week.

The ONS described the trend as “uncertain” in Scotland.

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