Covid-19: UK records highest number of new cases in months, here's what we know

Recent data from Oxford University's Our World in Data platformshowing the top 20 countries for new cases of Covid-19 per day, has put the UK as one of the highest on the list. The figures show that the UK had 55,274 new cases on Sunday, 24 November, alone. The last time daily numbers were over 50,000 was in April 2022.

As per statistics shared by Daily Mail, UK was the second highest on the list of countries with new cases and Japan was at the top of the table with just under 100,000 cases.

The data comes solely from testing levels and so the true figures are unknown as many people could have the disease and are unaware of it or it has remained unreported. However, as also stated by the publication, this is true of every country and there is feasibly no other way of measuring the outbreak.

China

It is perhaps not surprising that UK features so high on the list given there are no Covid-19 restrictions in place, however China still is placed at number seven on the list with 27,620 cases per day despite local lockdowns in place.

However, when looking at the new number of new cases in relation to its population size, the figures show the country to have only 19 confirmed new cases per million people per day, placing it at 76th on the list. It is worth noting that China has been accused of under-reporting its Covid-19 cases throughout the pandemic though in an effort to play down the impact of the disease.

China has been in turmoil of late with many protests raging across the country against the strict Covid-19 measures as part of it's 'zero-covid' policy. Mi Feng, a National Health Commission spokesman, recently commented at a press conference, as per the BBC:

We are going to maintain and control the negative impact to people's livelihoods and lives,

Read more: Xi Jinping: From resignation calls to attending meetings without a mask, here's what's going on with the leader

Seasonal booster

To help combat Covid-19 in the UK, the government still recommends a seasonal booster to vulnerable people this winter to help keep the number of infections down and prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed.

The booster dose is available to:

• people aged 50 and over
• people aged five to 49 with health conditions that put them at higher risk - including pregnant women
• care-home staff
• front-line health and social-care workers
• carers aged 16 to 49
• household contacts of people with weakened immune system

The NHS urges everyone who is eligible to have the seasonal booster to do so. It is possible to book online or by contacting your GP or a pharmacy, as per NHS England.

Read more: Covid-19: Should you get the seasonal booster this autumn?

Sources used:

- Daily Mail 'Revealed: Britain has world's SECOND biggest Covid outbreak currently - behind only Japan... so where else is in the worst 20?'

- NHS England 'NHS urges six million people to get their Covid autumn booster'

- BBC 'China Covid: Chinese protesters say police seeking them out'