The UK has recorded another 28,612 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period.
A further 103 people have died within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, daily government figures show – taking the total figure to 130,281 since the start of the pandemic.
On Friday, 31,808 new infections and 92 deaths were recorded – which saw the UK top six million coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.
This time last week, on 31 July, 26,144 cases and 71 deaths were reported.
The latest figures come a day after England’s R number fell to between 0.8 and 1.1, suggesting the pandemic could be shrinking.
Last week, it was estimated between 1.1 and 1.4.
This latest R value, or reproduction number, means on average every 10 people infected with the virus will go on to infect between eight and 11 others.
Data published from Public Health England has found that a third of patients currently in hospital have already received two doses of the vaccine.
To encourage more people to get vaccinated, a new government campaign is urging young people to get their jabs or risk missing out “on the good times”.
Meanwhile, SAGE government adviser Professor John Edmunds said further lockdowns may not be required despite a potential autumn wave of COVID-19 cases due to restrictions easing.
Professor Edmunds told Times Radio he was “cautiously optimistic” that another lockdown would not be needed to bring cases under control again.
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But he added there is a need to be “very cautious” about the situation at the moment as previous peaks had been countered by locking down.
