The Official Estimate: UK had over 2 million COVID-19 cases in the week leading up to December 23.

LONDON (ReutersThe London Times) More than 2,000,000 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19 during the week leading up to Christmas, Office for National Statistics estimates were released on Friday. The highest percentage was about one in 25 people in England.

Britain is experiencing a surge in cases of the virus caused by the highly-transmissible Omicron variant, but the government is hoping that its comprehensive vaccine programme and potentially milder disease caused by Omicron will let it keep the economy mostly open.

The ONS estimates are basing their estimates on survey data.

Friday’s estimates, which comprised the week that ended Dec. 23, showed that the ratio of people suffering from COVID in England rose to one in 25 from one in 35 between Dec. 13, and Dec. 19.

The latest estimated ratios in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were around one in 40.