An estimated 11,908 people across the UK were catching the virus every day in the week ending June 5, according to the ZOE Covid study, up 109 per cent from 5,677 last week. The troubling figures add to mounting fears about England's planned final lockdown easing on June 21 'Freedom Day', with the scientist behind the surveillance study admitting the situation 'has rapidly changed' in the face of the mutant 'Delta' strain. Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist at King's College London, said the spiralling case numbers were caused by 'increased social interaction and a newly dominant variant that is much more transmissible'. But he added: 'It's clear that this is an epidemic among the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated populations in the UK and, due to the way vaccines have been rolled out, is largely affecting younger generations.