Responding to the latest figures from NHS Test and Trace, NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery said:

"It is concerning to see the number of people who tested positive for COVID this week increase by 12%, with over 165,000 cases across the country, despite a national lockdown.

"While there is regional variation, the national figures show the scale of the challenge still in front of us.

"This week we saw the highest number of cases transferred to the system, but fewer close contacts were identified compared to last week and the proportion reached remains far too low.

"There is also still room for improvement in the amount of time taken to turnaround test results, with only 20% of Pillar 2 results returned within 24 hours.

"Overall the system is still far from effective, and with winter just round the corner, we continue to be deeply troubled by slow progression."