We are developing our understanding of ‘long’ COVID-19, including collecting the numbers of people affected and methods of reporting. Currently, the Office for National Statistics collects and publishes data on prevalence of ongoing symptoms following COVID-19 infection in the United Kingdom. From September 2021 activity data on referral, assessments and waiting times for post-COVID-19 assessment clinics and the patient journey, including the use of Your COVID Recovery, will be published on a monthly basis.

NHS England publishes a ‘COVID-19 Hospital Activity’ dataset which includes the number of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 as well as beds occupied by patients with COVID-19, both at provider level only. Data specifically for the Nightingale hospitals is not held.

The Nightingale hospitals in London and the North West have been placed on standby.

To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library

R is an average value that can vary in different parts of the country and communities. It cannot be measured directly, and calculating R becomes more uncertain when using small numbers of cases, either due to lower infection rates or smaller geographical areas.

Even when the overall United Kingdom R estimate is below 1, some regions may have R estimates that include ranges that exceed 1, for example from 0.7 to 1.1. This does not necessarily mean the epidemic regionally is increasing, just that the uncertainty in the data means it cannot be ruled out.

Estimates of R for geographies smaller than regional level are less reliable and it is more appropriate to identify local hotspots through, for example, monitoring numbers of cases, hospitalisations, and deaths.

Public Health England (PHE) shares data with the World Health Organization (WHO) EURO on a weekly basis. Anonymised data is sent that contains age, sex, country, date of birth, laboratory confirmation, date first sample was taken, SARS-CoV-2 laboratory result, admission to hospital, date of hospital admission and underlying conditions.

PHE reports data on behalf of the devolved administrations. The level of information the devolved administrations share with PHE to share with WHO EURO may differ from what PHE reports for England.

Data on Hospital Episodes Statistics is published online by NHS Digital and the latest available data is for 2018/19. Annual data for 2019/20 is due to be published in October 2020.

All published positive cases are lab-confirmed cases resulting from testing for COVID-19.

The Government Office for Science currently publishes the latest estimate of the United Kingdom-wide range for R on a weekly basis. The current range is estimated to be 0.7-1.0 and is based on latest data available to determine infection and transmission rates. R is an average value that can vary in different parts of the country, communities, and subsections of the population. It cannot be measured directly so there is always some uncertainty around its exact value.

The Government is committed to publishing the scientific evidence that has informed the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies advice. These papers are being published in batches. The latest batches were released on 20 March 2020 and 5 May 2020 and the next batch will published in the coming weeks. The full list of papers released to date is available in an online only format on GOV.UK. This list will be updated to reflect papers considered at recent and future meetings.

The Government Office for Science currently publishes the latest estimate of the United Kingdom-wide range for R on a weekly basis. Because outbreaks in care homes, hospitals and the community are interlinked, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its subgroups do not calculate them separately. The current range is estimated to be 0.7-1.0 and is based on latest data available to determine infection and transmission rates.

The Government is committed to publishing the scientific evidence that has informed the SAGE’s advice. These papers are being published in batches. The latest batches were released on 20 May and 22 May and the next batch will be published in due course. The full list of papers reviewed to date is available in an online only format on GOV.UK. This list will be updated to reflect papers considered at recent and future meetings.

Daily published statistics for COVID-19 related deaths in the United Kingdom consist of deaths with lab-confirmed COVID-19 in all settings. The UK figures are compiled from validated data provided by each of the four nations of the UK to the Department which brings the data together into a summary figure for the whole country.

Data for deaths in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are provided by Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales and the Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland) respectively. Figures for England are provided by Public Health England (PHE) and draw together multiple data sources, including data from NHS England and NHS Improvement, National Health Service and PHE laboratory systems and PHE local health protection teams.

In all settings, deaths are reported only if they are linked to a lab-confirmed COVID-19 test and reported as at 5pm the previous day. The time between occurrence of death and reporting may vary and, in some cases, could be a few days.

All data released by the Department is robust and includes only cases officially confirmed by NHS England or the devolved administrations, following discussion with next of kin.

The Government publishes daily figures on confirmed COVID-19 deaths in hospital, as that gives us the most up to date figures on a consistent basis. The vast majority of serious cases and fatalities of the virus will occur in hospital settings.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) are also publishing statistics from deaths registered in a given week, which include deaths outside hospital such as care homes. From 28 April 2020, the ONS will publish counts of deaths involving COVID-19 in care homes, based on reporting from care home operators to the Care Quality Commission. These figures will put deaths involving COVID-19 in care homes in proper context, alongside the ONS’s more comprehensive figures.

From 29 April, figures for deaths include all cases where there is a positive confirmed test for COVID-19. The figures include deaths with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in all settings, not just those in hospital, and this provides us with a single figure on an equivalent basis for the whole of the United Kingdom.

These UK figures are compiled from validated data provided by each of the four nations of the UK. Figures from Health Protection Scotland, Public Health Wales and the Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland) have always included tested cases outside hospital. Figures for England from 29 April onwards are provided by Public Health England and draw together several different data sources, including data from NHS England and NHS Improvement, to produce this broader measure.

This approach allows us to compile deaths data on a daily basis using up-to-date figures across all settings.

The Government relies on modelling work undertaken by several academic groups, who report to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) through its various subgroups. SAGE will continue to publish the evidence that it considers.

From modelling and current data on the outbreak, it is likely that the number of confirmed United Kingdom cases will rise. The number of COVID-19 cases will depend on the implementation of and adherence to public health measures, and the success of those measures in suppressing transmission of the virus and the numbers of cases of infection.