New COVID Wave Surges — Health Officials Sound Alarm As Cases Double
There is little doubt that COVID has not been relegated to the background despite the fact that the number of incidents has once again increased.
According to recent figures, the number of cases has more than doubled since January of this year, demonstrating that COVID has not receded into the background.
Despite many viewing the pandemic as a terrifying chapter in recent history, COVID-19 continues to make a quiet but steady comeback.
With waning vaccine immunity and the emergence of new variants, the number of COVID cases has been rising consistently since the start of the year.
According to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the positivity rate climbed from 4.2% to 4.5% in the week ending Sunday, April 6 — a subtle yet significant uptick.
This surge has translated into a 7% increase in the number of hospital patients in England testing positive for the virus.
To put it into perspective: back in early January, the positivity rate was just 2.2%, marking the lowest level seen in more than two years.
This means that roughly one in every 330 people in the UK is currently infected with COVID-19.
Although today’s case levels are only about a quarter of last summer’s peak, health officials are urging the public not to let their guard down. While a full-blown crisis like the one in 2020 is considered unlikely, Dr. Wylie warns that those who haven’t recently received a booster shot or contracted the virus are more vulnerable to emerging variants.
Encouragingly, data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that people who were vaccinated during the 2024 spring campaign had over a 40% lower risk of being hospitalized due to COVID-19 within the first two months of their shot.
“Seasonal changes and more time spent socializing indoors can fuel the spread of the virus, similar to what we see with other respiratory illnesses,” Dr. Wylie noted.
Currently, common symptoms include sore throat, cough, congestion, fatigue, and occasionally fever or a diminished sense of taste or smell—though the latter has become less frequent.
Around 7.5 million people in England are eligible for the NHS spring booster, available from April 1 through June 17, offering a timely opportunity for enhanced protection.
The spring COVID-19 booster is being offered to those most at risk, including:
- Adults aged 75 and over
- Residents of care homes for older adults
- Individuals aged six months to 74 with weakened immune systems, making them more vulnerable to serious illness
And here’s a helpful tip: If you’re turning 75 on or before June 17, 2025, you don’t need to wait until your actual birthday to get vaccinated—you’re eligible now.
