Coronavirus cases soar 75% in one week after 18,371 infections recorded

Luke O'Reilly17 September 2020

A total of 18,371 new people tested positive for Covid-19 in England in the week to September 9, according to the latest Test and Trace figures.

This is an increase of 75 per cent in positive cases on the previous week, and is the highest weekly number since Test and Trace was launched at the end of May.

It comes as just 73.9 per cent of close contacts of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England were reached through the Test and Trace system in the week ending September 9, according to new figures from the Department of Health and Social Care.

This is up from 69.5 per cent in the previous week, but below the 77.2 per cent reached in the week to August 19.

For cases handled by local health protection teams, 98.9 per cent of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate in the week to September 9. For cases handled either online or by call centres, 63.7 per cent of close contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate.

Just 1.9% of people in England who used a home test kit for Covid-19 received their result within 24 hours
AFP via Getty Images

The proportion of in-person test results returned within 24 hours in the week to September 9 – 33.3% – was the lowest since the week to June 17, when the figure stood at 31.3%.

Just 1.9% of people in England who used a home test kit for Covid-19 received their result within 24 hours in the week to September 9.

This is the lowest percentage since Test and Trace was launched at the end of May.

Some 9.3% of people received the result of a home test within 48 hours, the lowest percentage since the week to June 10, when the figure stood at 9.1%.