An estimated 3.7 million people tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK in the week ending December 31, the Office for National Statistics has said.

The figures jumped up from 2.3 million in the week ending on December 23 as more people mixed over the festive period and is the highest number of new cases since comparable figures began in Autumn 2020.

The new statistics come the day after Boris Johnson warned the coronavirus pandemic is far from over.

Boris Johnson’s warning as UK Covid cases rise

The Prime Minister said the latest recorded figures showed that those who believed the pandemic to be over were “profoundly wrong”.

Speaking at a press briefing in Downing Street, he said: “Our United Kingdom is in the midst of the fastest growth in Covid cases that we’ve ever known.

“Previous waves of the pandemic didn’t have a single day with more than 100,000 new cases reported, one day last week we had 200,000 people test positive.

“And the latest figure today is another 218,000, though that includes some delayed reports.

“So, anyone who thinks our battle with Covid is over, I’m afraid is profoundly wrong.

“This is a moment for the utmost caution.”