London was worst hit with an estimated one in 30 people infected with the coronavirus last week, according to the figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

In the previous two weeks, an estimated one in 60 people in England were infected.

The records date back to May 2020, so do not cover the peak of the initial wave of the pandemic.

Omicron is likely by now the dominant variant circulating in England, the analysis suggested.

Modelling from the ONS showed Omicron, as of Dec 16, had already matched the existing Delta variant in terms of the percentage of positive cases in England.

The ONS said the percentage of cases compatible with Omicron had increased in all regions apart from the northeast.

In Scotland, one in 80 people were estimated to be infected with Covid-19, a decrease from one in 70 the previous week.

The estimates for Wales and Northern Ireland were unchanged at one in 50 and one in 55.

Britain reported more than 100,000 new daily Covid-19 cases for the first time yesterday.

The rapid spread of Omicron has driven a surge in cases in the last seven days, with the total rising by 643,219, or 59%, according to government data.