Only 62% of the people who came into close contact with coronavirus cases were reached by the Test and Trace system in the latest week – a record low and well short of the 80% target

Only 62.6% of the 216,627 people who came into close contact with positive cases were reached by the tracing system in the latest week – a record low.

This is well short of the official target of reaching 80% of contacts.

Labour said the system was ‘falling apart’ and once again called for a ‘circuit break’ in response to the latest figures.

The shadow health minister said it was ‘absolutely staggering’ that ‘week upon week’ the Test and Trace system gets worse.

A total of 89,874 new people tested positive for Covid-19 in England in the week to October 7, according to the latest numbers.