LONDON: Over 1.1 million people had COVID-19 last week, equivalent to 1 in 50 people in the nation, the UK's Office for National Statistics said on Friday, rising to 1 in 30 people in the capital London as a contagious variant spreads.

The ONS estimated that 1,122,000 people in England had the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the week to Jan 2.

"London, the East of England and the South East have the highest percentage of positive cases that are compatible with the new variant of the virus," the ONS said.