Symptom-tracking app says cases dropped 23% last week with 54,000 new infections each day 

More hope that Britain’s Covid outbreak is on the way out: Symptom-tracking app says cases dropped 23% last week with 54,000 new infections each day

  • ZOE Covid-19 Symptom Study app predictions show cases falling across UK
  • The previous week it said almost 70,000 Britons were being infected daily
  • It marks the latest figures to suggest brutal lockdowns may be curbing the virus 

An app monitoring the spread of coronavirus in the UK says cases fell by 23 per cent last week amid hopes brutal lockdowns are finally curbing the spread of the virus.

The ZOE Covid-19 Symptom Study app estimates there were 54,000 daily infections in the seven days to January 10, below the almost 70,000 the week before.

Its estimates are based on weekly reports from a million users, who tell the app whether they are suffering from symptoms of the virus.

The figures are the latest glimmer of hope the second wave may be finally running out of steam, after a Cambridge University study said the virus’ reproduction rate has plunged to 0.6 – meaning the outbreak is now shrinking.

An R rate below one indicates that less people are catching the virus than are currently infected, triggering the whole outbreak to shrink.

Public Health England has also revealed weekly Covid cases have fallen in every age group except the over-80s, in another sign cases are being curbed.

The figures differ from those announced by the Department of Health because these only account for confirmed infections, which officials say could be just 40 per cent of the total. They do not catch asymptomatic cases. 

Boris Johnson was urged to double his target for 14million vaccinations by mid-February today, to take advantage of the space created by restrictions. 

The UK is expected to have capacity for 3.8million jabs next week – meaning the existing goal of covering the four most vulnerable groups by February 15 should be met.

Another 48,682 infections were recorded yesterday, down 7.5 per cent on the same day last week. But hospital admissions and deaths across Britain have yet to drop, despite Government data showing that both measures have slowed in London and other parts of the country. 

The ZOE app also estimated the R rate has dropped to 0.9 in England and Wales, showing the second wave is shrinking.

But in Scotland it was estimated to be at 1.0 – in a sign the second wave is yet to start declining in the region.

They estimated cases have plateaued in most age groups including the over-60s – who are most likely to be hospitalised if they catch the virus. 

Overall the lowest infection rate per 100,000 people was in Herefordshire, Lincolnshire and Devon.

The highest, however, was in London, Essex, Thurrock and Southend and Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes.

Professor Tim Spector, from King’s College London and who masterminded the app, said it was ‘great’ to see falling numbers of infections across most regions.

‘But numbers are still worryingly high and hospitals will stay under pressure for some time yet,’ he added.

‘With such high numbers and growing evidence new strains are highly transmissible, things can still take a turn for the worse. We need numbers to keep falling before we make any changes to current restrictions.’