Around one in 2,200 people in England have Covid-19, new figures suggest.
It comes amid fears Birmingham may be the next major area to go into lockdown due to rising cases.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), based on analysis of swab tests from more than 23,000 people, approximately 25,000 people in England had Covid-19 at any given time between June 14 and June 27.
This is equivalent to 0.04 per cent of the population, or around one in 2,200 people, the ONS said.
The ONS said its estimates suggest the percentage testing positive has decreased over time since the first measurement on April 26 and “this downward trend appears to have now levelled off”.
The data looks at infection rates in the community and does not include care homes and hospitals, or other institutions.
In separate data on just over 3,200 people given an antibody test, around 6 per cent of the population are thought to have antibodies against coronavirus.
This equates to one in 16 or 2.8 million people in England.
However, people in Oldham, Blackburn and parts of Pendle have now been told not to socialise with anyone from outside their household from midnight on Saturday to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The only way we can keep on top of this deadly virus is through decisive action led by the people who know their areas best, wherever possible through consensus with a local area.
“Working with local leaders we agreed further action in Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn.
“Our approach is to make the action we take as targeted as possible, with the maximum possible local consensus.”
Additionally, police and officials in Birmingham have warned the public to act now to avert a city-wide lockdown as the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in England rose 27% in a week, hitting its highest level since mid-June.
The UK’s second city has a population of more than 1 million and has seen a rise to 30 cases per 100,000, which is up from 22.4 the week before, and 12 at the start of the month, according to its director of public health.