Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of increased covid-19 testing on case numbers; and if he will make a statement.

Between 17 September and 23 September, 31,373 people tested positive for the first time, continuing the steep upward trend in positive cases seen in recent weeks. There were four times as many positive cases identified in the most recent week compared to the end of August.

Since Test and Trace launched, 153,597 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once; 83.0% of these positive cases were tested under pillar 2 in comparison to 17.0% under pillar 15. Between 17 September and 23 September, the number of positive cases under pillar 1 is over seven times higher compared to the end of August. The number of positive cases under pillar 2 is now nearly four times higher over the same period.

The number of people tested for the first time has increased by 32% since the end of August but has remained similar for the past three weeks.