The number of people testing positive for Covid-19 in England has reached a new record high.

A total of 232,169 people tested positive at least once in the week to December 23, according to the latest Test and Trace figures.

The number was up by a third on the previous week and is the highest weekly total since the service was launched in May.

Just 16.9% of people who were tested for Covid-19 in England in the week ending December 23 at a regional site, local site or mobile testing unit – a so-called “in-person” test – received their result within 24 hours.

This is down from 34.1% in the previous week and is the lowest percentage since the week to October 14, according to Government figures.

Of the 211,914 people transferred to the Test and Trace system in the week to December 23, 85.8% were reached and asked to provide details of recent close contacts, official figures show.

This is down from 88.6% in the previous week and is the lowest percentage since the week to October 28.

Some 12.8% of people transferred to Test and Trace in the week to December 23 were not reached while a further 1.3% did not provide any communication details.

The Czech Republic has reported a new high for the country of 16,939 Covid cases in the past 24 hours, its health ministry confirmed. With a population of 10.7 million the country has been one of the hardest hit in central Europe. It has total detected cases of 718,661 with 11,580 deaths.

A doctor in one of the capital’s hospitals has spoken of the building pressure on Intensive Treatment Units as Covid admissions surge.

The registrar told of “physically exhausting” shifts working long hours without breaks.

Speaking to Radio 4’s Today on Thursday morning, the doctor, called Toby, said the situation had become increasingly difficult since Christmas, as hospitals have to cope with growing numbers of sick people.  

“Every night was harder than the last. Every night it seemed there were more patients arriving in the emergency department, more patients on the wards getting sicker, ITU was filling up,” he said.

“Overall, the nights were just very difficult, physically exhausting working long hours without breaks, wearing PPE most of the night, mentally very tiring because patients are so sick.”

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said soldiers are preparing to carry out millions of vaccinations to speed up the the Covid jab roll out. He told Times Radio: “I have 250 teams of combat medics ready to deploy, to administer 750,000 vaccinations a week.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said he is “confident” the country will not move into another national lockdown.

He told Sky News: “We’re taking the absolute right approach to pursue the tiering system.

“It’s really important that areas have the opportunity to move down the tiering system as well as having to sometimes move areas up the tiering system.

“We recognise there are impositions that this has on everyone’s lives but it is the right approach, it’s the proper approach.

“This is a robust approach, so I’m confident that we won’t be moving into a national lockdown situation because the tiering structure is the right place to be.”

Robert Halfon, Conservative MP for Harlow and chairman of the Education Select Committee, expressed concerns over a potential “epidemic of educational poverty” as school openings are delayed. He told BBC Breakfast: “I do worry very much about children not being in school. I understand we have to balance the risks of coronavirus, absolutely, and do everything possible to keep staff and children safe, but I also worry about the impact of lost learning on the children. “This is very, very, very difficult all around and I think the impact on educational learning and mental health is perhaps the two most important things because these are things that are very difficult to deal with.“We want to deal with coronavirus but we don’t want an epidemic of educational poverty and mental health crises amongst young people in our country.”

The Japanese economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura has said the country is considering declaring a state of emergency as Covid infections continue to rise. The government is asking citizens to celebrate New Year quietly  as the latest figures showed that the latest figures showed that infections in Tokyo had hit a new high of more than 1,300.

People planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve have been warned they must leave the parties for later next year as “Covid loves a crowd”.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, said staying at home and seeing in 2021 “within the rules” will reduce infections and relieve pressure on hospitals.

He told Wednesday’s Downing Street press conference: “We know it’s the end of the year, it’s a time where people traditionally want to celebrate.

“But it’s absolutely vital that this year, everybody continues to follow the guidance by staying at home and not mixing.”

Prof Powis added: “We can all play a part in fighting this terrible virus: stay at home, mark the New Year with just nearest and dearest within the rules.

“This action will reduce infections, relieve pressures on hospitals, and that’s how everybody can help to save a life.

“Covid loves a crowd, so please leave the parties for later in the year.”