The latest Covid figures show 88,171 new cases reported on Thursday while 303 people have died within 28 days of testing positive.
It comes after 534 Covid related deaths were reported on Wednesday - the highest Covid death related figure since February last year.
The UK Health Security Agency explained there had been “some delays in the reporting of daily deaths” meaning the data in the last 24 hours up to Wednesday “included a backlog” and “deaths are higher than would normally be the case”.
By Thursday a third, or booster dose, of a Covid vaccine has been given to a further 39,037 people - meaning 65.1% of the population has now had all three jabs - the latest official figures show.
Meanwhile, Covid cases have been highest among children age two to school year in the last week, the ONS revealed.
In England, around one in eight children (13.1%) from age two to school year 6 are likely to have had Covid-19 last week.
For children in school years 7 to 11, the estimate was around one in 13 (7.6%).
But overall in the last week of January cases fell across all age groups, according to new data from UKHSA.
The prevalence of vaccines has an impact and the World Health Organisation gave an upbeat view of the situation in Europe.
It said Europe was now entering a “plausible endgame” to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said the region has recorded 12 million new Covid cases in the past week, with 30% of all cases since the pandemic began reported this year alone.
But he said “for now, the number of deaths across the region is starting to plateau”, adding several things are on Europe’s side.
There is now an “opportunity to take control of transmission” because many people are immune to Omicron through either natural infection or vaccination.
