The rise of Covid-19 cases in Reading is being driven by children, according to the latest data available from Public Health England.

New infections have spiked, increasing from an average of 70 cases per day in the week ending October 1 to 121 on October 13.

The 43 per cent increase as been largely driven by 10 – 14-year-olds, followed by children aged five to nine, teenagers aged 15 – 19, and adults aged 40 to 44.

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These age groups all surpass the general rate of new infections per 100,000 people in Reading of 528.3, with 10 – 14-year-olds seeing almost five times more infections: 2,513 per 100,000.

The news comes as top scientists advising on the coronavirus response have cautiously predicted it is “increasingly unlikely” that hospital admissions this winter will rise above the peak seen last January.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warned, however, that a “rapid increase in hospital admissions” could happen if behaviour swiftly returns to normal and the waning of vaccines’ effectiveness is significant.

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Acting quickly would reduce the need for “more stringent, disruptive and longer-lasting measures”, the advisers concluded, in minutes of a meeting published on Friday.

They said that policy work on the potential reintroduction of measures “should be undertaken now” so they can be ready for “rapid deployment” if needed.