COVID hospitalisations have “plateaued” as the UK logged another 32,608 cases today.
An extra 350 fatalities have also been reported, a dip on yesterday’s 651.
Professor Tim Spector warned while cases are still high, patients in hospital look like they are no longer rising.
This is a promising sign we could be moving through the last phase of the latest Omicron peak.
Infections rose to record highs in recent weeks, with one in 12 people in England battling the bug in March.
In the latest data the Office for National Statistics said around one in 14 are now infected in the country.
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Professor Spector said: “Case numbers continue to decline and the rate is slightly faster than it was last week.
“We are seeing about a 12.5 per cent decrease compared to last week.
“Deaths are still pretty low, around 200 a days and hospitalisations seem to have plateaued at about 2,000 a day, which the NHS definitely doesn’t like and is double what we had in February, but it doesn’t seem to be going any higher.”
Most people thankfully recovered at home with the milder strain of Omicron, but some more vulnerable patients will need hospital treatment.
Sajid Javid said the rise in infections last month was to be expected after restrictions were lifted, and the Government wasn’t concerned due to Omicron causing a milder illness.
The huge drop in falling official cases coincided with the scrapping of free tests last month – but the rise had started to dip before then.
The fall in infections is echoed by the ZOE Covid Symptom Study, which sees Brits log their symptoms and test results each day.
Today’s data showed there are around 2,75,993 new daily symptomatic cases, a drop of nine per cent on last week.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Director Public Health Programmes at the UK Health Security Agency said: “It is encouraging that hospital admissions appear to have plateaued this week and we will continue to monitor this closely over the coming weeks.
“If you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection such as a high temperature try to stay at home or away from other people – especially those who are elderly or vulnerable.
“Vaccination remains essential for all eligible people, so if you’re not up to date, please make sure you get your latest jab.”
Vaccines are the best line of defence, health bosses say, with a new study showing symptoms in the triple jabbed last on average half as long as a common cold.
Spring boosters are being dished out for certain groups in society, to keep their immunity high.
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Free tests have now ended for the majority of people in England, with Brits being asked to be responsible with any illness that pops up.
Only the vulnerable, including those in high-risk jobs and with health conditions, will be eligible to pick up swabs without paying.
