Covid-19 hospital admissions in England rose from 950 in August to 4,939 in September, a five-fold jump, while monthly infections climbed 230 per cent to 4,589, according to the latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The infection total is the highest since October last year. Cases are also rising at an unusually fast pace.
Covid normally becomes more common when schools return for the autumn term. This year’s rise is almost triple the one recorded in 2025.
The official count probably understates the spread. UKHSA’s statistics come from NHS England reports on people who become very unwell with the virus. Thousands more may have a milder infection and were never admitted or formally diagnosed.
Cases and admissions are climbing faster than last autumn
In August, 1,374 people contracted Covid. In September the figure reached 4,589. That means cases more than tripled in a single month.
Over the same period in 2025, cases increased by around 63 per cent, although the total number of cases was higher then than it is now.
Hospital admissions follow the same pattern. There were 950 in August and 4,939 in September. Last year, admissions rose by around 61 per cent between those two months, again from a higher total.
A separate measure estimates how widely the virus is circulating by using test data. It found that 1.6 per cent of Covid tests came back positive in August. By the end of September, that share had passed 8 per cent, a five-fold rise.
Weekly deaths have doubled since early August. The latest data puts them at around 19 a week.
Why the percentages look so large
Last September’s totals were higher than this September’s, yet this year’s growth rates are far steeper. The reason is the starting point. England entered August with fewer cases and admissions than a year earlier, so each new infection adds a bigger share to a smaller base.
That does not make the rise imaginary. Admissions grew by more than 4,000 in a month, and that is a real number of people needing hospital care. It does mean the percentages should be read next to the raw totals, which remain below those of the past two Septembers.
The Stratus variant behind the rise
The growth is linked to the variant now in circulation. Known as XFG, or ‘Stratus’, it originated in South East Asia last year and has been spreading across North America and Europe since the end of 2025.
GPs believe it is behind the rising number of illnesses. Along with colds and flu, it may put the NHS under pressure this autumn.
Doctors describe flu-like and stomach symptoms
Dr Renée Hoenderkamp, a family doctor in London, told the Daily Mail last week that she had seen more patients with the telltale symptoms of this strain. They include sore throats, headaches, runny noses and fatigue.
‘In the past ten days to three weeks in general practice my lists have definitely changed to people with these symptoms,’ she said. ‘It’s definitely about’.
Dr Hoenderkamp described the strain as ‘flu-like’ and said it may be mistaken for the seasonal virus. If you come down with a sore throat and a runny nose in the coming weeks, that overlap is worth knowing about.
Other doctors are seeing a different set of complaints. Some patients are presenting with gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhoea, vomiting, a loss of appetite and stomach pain.
Health officials say levels remain low
UKHSA has urged the public not to be alarmed. Admissions are still lower than they were last September and the September before. They are also far below the 4,000 daily admissions NHS England recorded in 2020.
Dr Alex Allen, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: ‘While Covid-19 activity has shown some recent increases, cases remain at low levels in the UK.
‘It’s completely normal for viruses to change over time. The strains currently going around, including those known as XFG, are closely related to strains that have been with us for over a year, so this isn’t something new.
‘We’re also not seeing any evidence that these are making people more ill or spreading faster than before, and this year’s autumn vaccine has been specifically designed to protect against them.
‘UKHSA is monitoring all the data relating to Covid-19 variants in the UK and abroad, and we continue to publish our findings in our regular surveillance reports.’
What happens next
September’s figures show the sharpest monthly rise in a year, but the totals stay below recent autumns, and UKHSA says it has found no sign that XFG makes people sicker or spreads faster than earlier strains.
The next surveillance reports will show whether the climb continues through October as colds and flu add to the load on GP surgeries and hospitals. UKHSA points to the autumn vaccine, which it says was designed to protect against XFG and its close relatives, as the main protection. Your GP practice or the NHS website can tell you whether you are eligible and how to book.
