Thread by @john_actuary

The latest ONS infectivity data suggests continued strong falls in infections across all four countries, with typically reductions of around a third in a week.
Starting with England, which falls from 0.69% to 0.45%, down 35%. That's now 1-220 of the community population.
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Wales falls by 27%, down from 0.48% to 0.35%, or 1-285 of the population.

Scotland is down from 0.45% to 0.30%, a 33% fall, or 1- 335.

Finally N Ireland falls by 40% from 0.52% to 0.31% or 1-325.

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Regionally most areas are falling although the ONS says that there is more uncertainty in the E Midlands, North East and East. The NE is now double the lowest areas.

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By age, most groups are continuing to fall, except Yrs 7-11, where it's stated there is more uncertainty. Most encouraging is the fall in the Over 70 group, from 0.36% last week to 0.23%.

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New this week is a neat little tool that enables you to play the progress of infections by individual age since 17th Jan.

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The graphs by variant have been dropped now, due to the overall fall in infection levels. The data shows that, except in Wales (25%), on or under 10% of those cases where an identification can be made are the original variant.

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This data gives a much clearer picture that infection levels are continuing to fall rapidly than the latest REACT results, which I reported yesterday, do. Along with ZOE and PHE data, these all help build a picture, rather than having to rely on one data source alone.

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Over the last 6 weeks 536k tests have been carried out, with 5,794 positive results. Thanks to ONS and its partner organisations, and also all those participating in this continuing extensive surveillance exercise.

Report here:
ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati…

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