The number of Covid cases has fallen by two-thirds in a month, encouraging figures show

Figures show that the number of COVID cases has fallen by two-thirds in a month.

There were 31,933 positive tests counted in the UK yesterday – a fall of 66 per cent from 94,326 on January 25.

Cases in England, where restrictions have been lifted, have also fallen by a third from last week.

The number of Covid hospital admissions is also falling. The average is now below 1,000 per day, after peaking above 2,000 in January.

And the UK daily death average, calculated over a week, is 121.

That is the lowest since the 110 on New Year's Eve. On February 8 there were 257.

Prof. Steven Riley of the UK Health Security Agency confirmed the falls, but warned: “The virus is still with us and remains a threat.”

The Office for National Statistics estimates there are around 290,000 new infections per day.

The much lower official figures indicate that many people do not get sick or test at home.

It comes as the UKHSA said the spin-off BA.2 variant has overtaken Omicron as England's dominant strain.

Experts do not expect this to cause additional problems, because it is very similar.