In our end of week covid numbers review we can report that new cases are solidly around the forty thousands a day now.

And this translates into a seven day roll up high of 289515. It looks very much like we shall shortly bust the 300000 bar. Where we go after that is anyone’s guess.

The Office of National Statistics this week estimated that in excess of 1 million people in the UK now have covid. Is this a matter for concern?

There still are many people who are not worried nor taking the matter very seriously. What do they know the rest of us don’t?

As time goes by the emphasis appears to be moving from contagion to infection, i.e. the virus is being transmitted by breath and aerosol rather than shaking hands or touching an infected surface. That is not say that touching an infected surface is now safe – it is not but if we are trying to put a stop to the most likely modes of transmission, breathing looks like the one to watch.

The UK also rejoices in the news that it over the past seven days it has the highest incidence of covid in the world, second only to the USA. The USA recorded 595453, down 4% while the UK recorded 276190, up 13%. It should be noted that the UK government seven day figure is slightly out of kilter with the Johns Hopkins seven day figure but only by a small amount. This could well simply be a timing difference.

Deaths too continue to rise with 833 in the past seven days, up 5.4%, and with 5559 patients admitted to hospital, up 6.9%. The interactive map also is getting more and more purple as numbers rise.

So not the best news for half term. What next?

And here is a beautiful photo of the day to keep your spirits up.

Adrian Leopard 16-10-21

Photo Colin Lloyd